India vs Bangladesh: On Kanpur's black soil pitch, what changes could both teams make

The red soil will make way for black. The bounce and carry will be short-lived, and a significant amount of turn is not to be anticipated.

This succinctly describes the expected pitch conditions at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur, where the second and final Test of the India-Bangladesh series is set to commence on 27 September.

Unlike the consistent bounce observed during last week’s four-day encounter in Chennai, the pitch at Green Park is expected to be relatively flatter, featuring lower bounce and a surface that becomes progressively slower as the match progresses, owing to its black-soil composition.

In contrast, the Chepauk pitch allowed both teams’ seam and spin bowlers to achieve good bounce due to the red soil imported from Mumbai two years ago.

This bounce was instrumental in both teams opting for three fast bowlers. Although the degree of spin was moderate, the combination of bounce and turn made it favourable for spinners as showcased by India’s R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, who combined to take nine wickets in the second innings.

The slower characteristics of the Kanpur pitch will likely influence the team selections for both sides. India may swap out a third seamer for an additional spinner, giving Kuldeep Yadav or Axar Patel a chance to play.

On the other hand, Bangladesh’s selector Hannan Sarkar mentioned in Chennai that there are concerns regarding Shakib Al Hasan’s fitness; he suffered a hit to his already injured left index finger while batting on day four.

Should Shakib participate as an all-rounder, Bangladesh might opt to introduce left-arm spinner Taijul Islam in place of Nahid Rana. Off-spinner Nayeem Hasan is also in the squad and would be considered only if Shakib is unavailable, as the visitors prefer to include three spinners in their lineup.

In the last Test played in Kanpur, against New Zealand in 2021, India played three spinners: Ashwin, Jadeja, and Axar. This was the first match at the venue since 2016, also against New Zealand, and both Tests lasted the full five days. While India comfortably won the 2016 match, the 2021 encounter ended in a hard-fought draw with New Zealand’s batters showing commendable resolve.

While bowlers may face challenges, batsmen could find it easier to score heavily, given the lack of surprises from the pitch.

In the 2021 Test, Shreyas Iyer made an impressive debut with a century and a fifty, while Tom Latham delivered a noteworthy defensive performance with two half-centuries against Indian spinners.