India’s Test Season: Rediscovering Red-Ball Rhythms and Managing Workloads

India’s Test Season: Rediscovering Red-Ball Rhythms and Managing Workloads

In Chennai, the second summer has arrived, making the heat intense. At the MA Chidambaram Stadium, players are sweating heavily, and a hydration cart is always nearby.

The old LED temperature display on top of Tarapore Towers at Mount Road, near Chepauk, shows what everyone already feels - the second summer has arrived in Chennai. Sweat drips from shirt sleeves, headbands, and helmet peaks. Inside the MA Chidambaram Stadium, a hydration cart under an umbrella is always close to any busy area. According to fielding coach T. Dilip, some of the drills are designed to be 'low in volume but high in intensity'.

Rarely India get any off from their cricketing calendar, This break has given them the luxury of a significant rest period. Ten squad members played at least one round of Duleep Trophy games, while the others attended a seven-day camp (with a day off in between) to get back into the rhythm of red-ball cricket before the Test season. It was March when they last played this formed and also the onset of first and OG summer. A lot has happened during the monsoon months: India won a major T20 tournament, lost a rare ODI series, and the mentor of the recent IPL champions became the new head coach of the Indian team.

Test cricket is about to start again, with new goals set along the way. The main target is the World Test Championship final in June at Lord's. Before that, India will play five Tests in Australia, where they've won the last two series. Leading up to that big series, there are five home Tests, starting with two matches against Bangladesh. This season is full of interesting stories.

Gautam Gambhir, championships and WTC

India's new head coach has a different approach compared to the previous one, focusing more on team happiness. He believes that "a happy team is a winning team." Gambhir, a two-time World Cup winner, aims to build a winning mindset and secure the one major title India is missing. India is currently leading the World Test Championship (WTC) standings. They can ease their qualification worries by winning their upcoming away series against Bangladesh and New Zealand.

Despite their strong home record, India has lost three home Tests in the last three years, which is a reminder to stay vigilant.

Batting choices and backups

The 16-man squad for the new season includes four players who have previously opened for India. Among them, Gill and KL Rahul have now taken on middle-order roles. Gill is expected to step up to No.3 if needed, while Rahul will return to the middle order after recovering from an injury sustained in the first Test against England. Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel, who showed potential in that series, are currently backup players but offer a lot of promise for the future.

Jurel might need to step in as the wicketkeeper-batsman if Pant's fitness needs to be managed. It's a good sign for India that Jurel, at 26, performed well in the Duleep Trophy, even making multiple diving stops and showing his fitness with a kip-up. However, considering the demands of the role, the weather conditions, his key role in the Australia series, and the fact that he has only played one first-class game in nearly two years, it would be wise for India to ensure their backup keeper is ready to play.