A confident, youthful Indian side will be looking to seal a comfortable series win as Bangladesh hope to find their footing and mount a turnaround when the two teams meet for the second T20I in Delhi on October 9. The balance of power looks heavily tilted in favor of the hosts after India’s seven-wicket victory in the first T20I in Gwalior.
India’s squad is filled with young talents, and even in the absence of star players like Rishabh Pant, Axar Patel, and Jasprit Bumrah, their depth in white-ball cricket remains formidable. The first T20I offered a glimpse of India’s bench strength, with promising performances from players like Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, and debutants Mayank Yadav and Nitish Kumar Reddy.
Samson, confirmed by captain Suryakumar Yadav as India’s designated opener for the series, took the opportunity to showcase his skill with a quickfire 19-ball 29. Having been in and out of the national squad since his debut in 2015, Samson has often been criticised for inconsistency. However, his aggressive start in Gwalior was a statement of intent. He’ll be eager to solidify his place as a wicketkeeper-opener in the team, especially with the absence of Pant and the upcoming T20 World Cup still two years away.
Similarly, Abhishek Sharma impressed with his power-hitting but missed out on converting a strong start. The duo of Samson and Sharma will aim to go beyond brief cameos and put up substantial scores in Delhi, with a sellout crowd expected to witness their performance under the floodlights.
Mayank Yadav dazzled with raw pace on debut, while Nitish Kumar Reddy impressed as a seam-bowling all-rounder, a rare and valuable asset for India in limited-overs cricket. Arshdeep Singh’s leadership of the pace attack was commendable, while the returning Varun Chakaravarthy, back after a three-year hiatus, added mystery spin to India’s varied bowling options. Washington Sundar also offers additional spin depth as the team looks to fill the void left by the all-around abilities of Ravindra Jadeja.
BANGLADESH BATTING WOES
On the other hand, Bangladesh finds themselves struggling to adapt to the T20 format despite fielding a team filled with experienced campaigners. Their poor showing in the first game was a continuation of their long-standing difficulties in the format. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto candidly admitted the team’s shortcomings after their defeat in Gwalior: “I wouldn’t say we played badly. We are a better team than this, but we haven’t done well in this format for a long time.”
The crux of Bangladesh’s woes lies in their batting. Senior players like Liton Das and Mahmudullah need to step up if Bangladesh is to stand a chance. In the opening T20I, the batting lineup faltered under the pressure of India’s disciplined bowling attack, managing only 122 runs. Against a formidable Indian side, that kind of total was never going to be enough.
Although Bangladesh’s bowlers have the potential to challenge India’s lineup, they will need the support of a much-improved batting performance. Even their experienced bowling unit will struggle to contain India’s explosive batting order without a competitive score to defend.
DELHI PITCH CONDITIONS
In IPL 2024, eight out of ten innings at the Arun Jaitley Stadium surpassed the 200-run mark in five matches. While teams benefited from the extra batter provided by the Impact Player, a high-scoring game is still anticipated on Wednesday. The weather is expected to be clear, with minimal dew.
IND vs BAN: TEAM NEWS
India may replace Nitish Kumar Reddy with Tilak Varma and Mayank Yadav with Harshit Rana to give more players a chance.
India (probable): Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Riyan Parag, Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy
Tamim Iqbal suggested to Shanto that he should open with Mehidy Hasan Miraz after the first T20I. Will Bangladesh heed their former captain’s advice, or stick with their current lineup, possibly bringing in Tanzid Hasan for Parvez Hossain Emon?
Bangladesh (probable): Tanzid Hasan, Litton Das (wk), Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Jaker Ali, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman.
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