New Delhi: Just before the World Cup next year, ODI cricket has got back the excitement again as Bangladesh beat India in two interesting encounters. While the Bangla tigers are roaring at home, India seeks a consolation victory in the third ODI. With captain Rohit Sharma injured, it will be KL Rahul who will lead the side.
India has many questions to answer
After the series loss and Rohit, Deepak Chahar and Kuldeep Sen getting injured, India needs to look forward to a change in strategy. With Ishan Kishan in the side, he might open with Shikhar Dhawan, who now has the responsibility to play a long inning and show his class. India will be bringing a spin-heavy bowling attack as Deepak Chahar and Kuldeep Sen are missing from the squad. Umran Malik replaced Sen in the last game and Kuldeep Yadav comes in place of Chahar.
Men in blue might feel the absence of Shubman Gill as a backup opener and Sanju Samson as a middle-order wicketkeeper-batter. Meanwhile, the batters need to buckle up as collapses in both innings have led the team into losing positions. The lack of intent has made a difference while Shreyas Iyer has shown character and booked his spot at number 4.
In the last game, Mehidy Hasan Miraz took away the match as the bowlers were not able to deliver in the death. India might suffer from such a problem again as, among the pacers, only Mohammed Siraj looks like a wicket-taker due to the threat he creates.
Bangladesh has a chance to clean-sweep India
With three wickets, a century and another match-winning inning, Mehidy Hasan Miraz is enjoying the series. He has a crazy average of 81.75 with the bat and 26.13 with the ball in ODIs in 2022. On the Shakib Al Hasan is leading the wicket-tally in the series and will play a role if the Bangla tigers clean-sweep India. While the lower order has kept Bangladesh in the game, the top order needs to get some more runs.
Looking at India’s batting collapses, bowling does not look like an issue for Bangladesh. Ebadot Hossain and Shakib have delivered when needed and have picked seven wickets each in the two ODIs. Bangladesh’s ace bowler Mustafizur Rahman has picked just one wicket and will require to have a bigger impact as the team heads closer to the World Cup.
