Vikram Rathour: Good practice before Oz contest

India’s Virat Kohli during a practice session at Dhaka yesterday. Pic/AP; PTI

The ongoing two-match Test series against Bangladesh is a perfect preparation for the Indian batters before they take on Australia at home on "similar turning tracks" for the high-profile Border-Gavaskar Trophy, batting coach Vikram Rathour said on Wednesday.

India thrashed Bangladesh by 188 runs on a difficult track in Chittagong to lead the series 1-0.

On second spot in the World Test Championships standings, India will be keen to complete a clean sweep in Bangladesh before they take on table-toppers Australia in the high-profile four-Test series set to begin in Nagpur on February 9.

Vikram Rathour

"You expect wickets to turn in the sub-continent, and after this we will be playing an important series against Australia where wickets are expected to turn," Rathour said on the eve of the second and final Test here.

"So it's good practice for us. It will be good preparation for Indian batters. We are not discussing anything tactically, but looking forward to playing good cricket."

Batters come good

The Indian batters came good in the opening Test with young opener Shubman Gill cracking his maiden century in the longest format and veteran Cheteshwar Pujara scoring a 130-ball 102 not out in the second innings, his 19th Test century after almost four years.

Stand-in skipper KL Rahul, however, found the going tough as he was dismissed for 22 and 23, while Virat Kohli was removed by left-arm spinner Taijul Islam with a beauty in the first innings in Chittagong. The former India captain was unbeaten on 19 in the second essay.

Rathour, who had a long session with Rahul and Kohli hoped the two batters will come good in the second Test.

Asked what was he discussing with Rahul, the batting coach said: "I'm not going to get into those discussions, these discussions keep happening, a few things he was looking at and there's nothing to be concerned about. He was just working on something.

"We are looking forward to both of them scoring runs. Hoping to see big innings from both of them from this match."

Kohli has recently ended his long wait for an international century, first getting to the mark in the T20Is against Afghanistan and then in the ODIs against Bangladesh.

Kohli is now due for a Test century which he last scored against Bangladesh in their first day-night Test at Eden Gardens, Kolkata in 2019.

Also Read: ‘We have to be aggressive': KL Rahul

‘KL's injury not serious'

Meanwhile, Rahul got hit on his thumb while taking throwdowns from Rathour, but the batting coach said it was not serious and he "seemed fine."

The India opener was seen applying ice-packs. "Doctors are looking after him, he seems to be fine," Rathour said.

Asked about the wicket, Rathour said: "We're expecting this one to have a bit more bounce and turn than the previous one. We look to play according to the situation.

"We are fine whatever wicket we get. We have absolutely no issues from our side. However it plays, we have to put up as many runs as we can and put up a good score if we bat first."

Rathour said the wicket in Chittagong was tough.

"We batted well definitely, but we bowled really well. It was a tough surface to get 20 wickets - slow and low, especially in the second innings."

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