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.

On an overcast morning in Chennai, Bangladesh has won the toss and opted to bowl first in Chepauk on Thursday during the opening Test. While the Bangladeshi captain Najmul Shanto claimed that he feels there is juice on the track and that his bowlers would get purchase and that prompted his decision,