India's captain Rohit Sharma surprised many with his toss decision ahead of the second Test against Bangladesh in Kanpur. It was widely expected that Team India would field three spinners, given the black soil pitch's suitability for spin bowling. However, Rohit chose to bowl first after winning the toss and announced an unchanged XI, retaining all three seamers—Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Akash Deep—in the lineup.
Interestingly, there were indications that Rohit considered including Kuldeep Yadav, who did not play in the first Test against Bangladesh, as he had an extended net session before the match, suggesting a potential inclusion. However, the overcast weather conditions at the Greenfield Stadium likely influenced the team's last-minute strategy adjustment.
This marked the first time in nine years that an Indian captain opted to bowl first at home after winning the toss. The last instance was in 2015 against South Africa in Bengaluru under Virat Kohli's captaincy, which ended in a draw.
"We're going to bowl first. The pitch seems a bit soft, so we need to make early inroads, and we want our three seamers to capitalise on that. We didn't start well with the bat in the first game, but we found a way to score, and the bowlers stepped up. I expect no less of a challenge from Bangladesh; we are prepared to respond," Rohit stated during the toss.
In response, Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto expressed his satisfaction with the decision, as his team preferred to bat first. "We're happy to bat first; that's what we wanted. As a batting unit, it's crucial we capitalise on our start and score heavily today. The wicket looks promising for batting, but taking advantage of the new ball will be vital. We have made two changes; Nahid and Taskin are out, while Taijul and Khaled are in," he said.
India's Playing XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (w), KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.