IND vs BAN: Sourav Ganguly predicts the Test series winner

Former Indian captain and former BCCI president, Sourav Ganguly, has set the stage for an exciting showdown with his bold statement as Team India prepares to kick off their international season with a two-match Test series against Bangladesh.

After a rare break of more than 40 days from international cricket, the Indian cricket team is ready to get back in action, with the first Test against Bangladesh set to begin on September 19 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

Bangladesh's confidence soars, but Sourav Ganguly backs India to win Test series

The second and final test is scheduled in Lucknow, starting on September 27. Upcoming India vs Bangladesh Test series will be the ninth series between the two Asian nations, with Team India historically dominating by winning seven of their previous encounters, while one series ended in a draw against the Tigers.

Despite India's strong record, Sourav Ganguly believes Bangladesh will arrive with renewed confidence after their historic 2-0 Test series win in Pakistan.

This triumph has bolstered Bangladesh’s self-belief incredibly, and they are expected to pose a significant challenge to the Indian team.

However, Bangladesh has never beaten India in Test cricket, but their success in Pakistan set the stage for a more competitive Test series, and Sourav Ganguly stressed that the challenge of taking on India on their home turf remains formidable and predicted another triumph for the hosts.

India will be a different kettle of fish: Ganguly to Bangladesh

India, led by Rohit Sharma, boasts a powerful batting lineup and a well-rounded squad, making them a tough opponent for any team and anywhere.

This will be the third time Bangladesh is touring India for a Test series, with all the previous series won by the hosts in 2016-17 and 2019-20.

Sourav Ganguly was quoted as saying by News18: “Going to Pakistan and beating them is never easy, so congratulations to the (Bangladesh) players. But India will be a different kettle of fish; India, whether at home or away, are a fantastic side with a very strong batting unit.”

However, Sourav Ganguly believes that the current Bangladesh team, captained by Najmul Hossain Shanto, will put up a fierce fight against India in the upcoming Test series, aiming to make history by clinching their first Test win in India later this month.

I don’t see Bangladesh winning Test series in India: Ganguly

While Ganguly predicted India would continue their dominance and win the home Test series, the former BCCI president admitted the possibility of a hard-fought contest, as Bangladesh's confidence, fueled by their recent historic Test series win over Pakistan, could translate into spirited display.

Ganguly signed off by saying, “I don’t see Bangladesh winning; India will win the series. But India must expect good and tough cricket from Bangladesh because they are coming into the series with a lot of confidence after beating Pakistan in Pakistan.”

Here’s India squad for 1st Test against Bangladesh:

Rohit Sharma (C), Rishabh Pant (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Sarfaraz Khan, R Ashwin, R Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah, Yash Dayal.