FILE PHOTO: Cricket - Fifth Test - India Practice - Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala, India - March 5, 2024 India's Rohit Sharma during practice REUTERS/Adnan Abidi/File Photo
(Reuters) - India are focused on making a strong start to their home test season and will not view their two-match series with Bangladesh merely as preparation for their tour of Australia later this year, skipper Rohit Sharma said on Tuesday.
Rohit's side begin a busy schedule with the opening match against Bangladesh starting on Thursday, after which they will host New Zealand in three games and then head to Australia in November for five more tests.
"Every game is important while playing for the country," Rohit told reporters in Chennai.
"It's not a dress rehearsal for the Australia series. There are World Test Championship points at stake and we need to start the season on a high.
"The focus is on winning the Bangladesh series rather than looking too far ahead."
India last lost a home test series in 2012 when they fell 2-1 to England and have since won 17 consecutive series, losing only four out of 51 matches, but Rohit said his players cannot get complacent.
"We're resuming after a long time," added Rohit, whose side completed a 4-1 win over England in March.
"When it (the series) starts, we have to see where we stand and take it from there."
Rohit threw his weight behind batsman KL Rahul, who made 86 and 22 in the first match against England in January but missed the rest of the series with injury.
"Everybody knows the quality Rahul has. We want him to play all the games to bring the best out of him," he added.
"Unfortunately, he got injured after Hyderabad and didn't play afterwards. I hope he continues from where he left off. I don't see any reason why he can't flourish in test cricket."
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
