Hardik Pandya is one for the future

Pandya, 23, is yet to make his Test debut but has been part of recent India squads. “We want to keep Hardik in the mix because he is someone who has the ability to become a good all-rounder even in the longer format,” Kumble said answering a question on why the 23-year-old was part of the team despite not featuring in any of the Tests so far. 

“It’s rare when someone can run in and bowl 140 kmph and bat in the lower middle order. He is not tested in the longer format but in future when we travel outside India, he will be someone we can probably look at,” the 46-year-old former India captain said. India will look to build on a highly successful home season when it clashes with Bangladesh, says head coach Anil Kumble even as he emphasised on his side’s ability to take 20 wickets. “We would like to look at it as continuation from where we left against England. It’s been a good home season so far. We would like to take confidence from that and build on it. We still have few more Test matches after this so, it’s important that we take momentum and look at Bangladesh which has done really well against New Zealand in the recent past,” Kumble said. 

“I don’t think we need to do anything different against Bangladesh and also moving forward. We would like to measure ourselves with what we want to achieve and how we can achieve those goals and as long as we do that and continue to keep winning those moments and performances within our group, then I think the results will go our way,” he said. 

“It’s a very improved side. They had a good outing in New Zealand although the results are different. We certainly respect the opposition. Bangladesh has some quality players, good all-rounders. So, it’s going to be an interesting contest,” he added. 

The former captain noted the contribution made by the fast bowlers in India’s success in the home season and team’s ability to bowl out opposition twice. “You spoke about spinners dominating against England. But, then fast bowlers’ contribution you cannot take that away at all whether it was England or New Zealand. So, the home series has seen the fast bowlers coming in and contributing as well. It’s a matter of getting the partnership right whether it is fast bowlers or spinners. At the end of it, this squad certainly has the ability to pick up 20 wickets,” Kumble said. 

Kumble, India’s most successful Test bowler, said they will approach the Bangladesh game session by session. “I think every game, whether it’s a series of three test matches or five test matches, you have to take every session and the Test match as a separate unit and not really look at the series itself. It’s very different when you are playing only a one-off Test match. But, we would like to even look at a Test series as a one-off Test match, one at a time rather than look at the whole series,” he said.