India kick off their journey in the Asia Cup against Bangladesh at Dambulla on the 16th of June in the second match of the tourney. Saying that both teams have not produced their best in recent times would be an understatement, they come into this game having won a grand total of 1 match in their last 10 ODI encounters against all opposition.
However, the Asia Cup is the start of a new day of sorts, and both teams will be anxious to start off the tournament on a high. Bangladesh especially are the underdogs in the tournament and a positive result for them will give them a lot of confidence. India will be desperate to avoid defeat because if they do lose the match, they'll be facing Pakistan and Sri Lanka in two must win matches. Both teams have the luxury of seeing how the conditions play in the Pakistan-Sri Lanka match the day before and then decide on their team combination.
India:-
The Indian squad will be strengthened by the return of big guns Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Gatam Gambhir. Virender Sehwag, Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh. A couple of youngsters have also made it to the squad and they will be trying their best to impress the selectors with the World Cup coming up in about 8 months time. A winning start for the team can set the tone for the rest of the tournament.
The absence of the Little Master. Sachin Tendulkar, means that Gambhir will return to the top of the order with Sehwag. Sehwag's record in the subcontinent is exceptional and if he gets going, the Bangladeshis will be in for a tough time. With Yuvraj Singh missing out, Mahendra Singh Dhoni will have to dictate terms in the middle overs. He has the ability to adapt well to any situation and that will prove handy for the team. Suresh Raina has managed to cement his place in the playing XI with some strong performance in the past couple of years or so. Yuvraj's absence will put more responsibility on his young but able shoulders and if he continues the form that he showed in Zimbabwe, the team can expect big things from him.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are more or less certain to feature in the playing XI. They will have to make optimum use of the opportunity if they want to push for a place when the likes of Tendulkar and Yuvraj return. One of the keys for India is to get their batting order sorted out...consistency at positions 3 to 6 are important for a quality team and Gary Kirsten and the team management need to buckle down and identify who fits in best in which slot.
The performance of India's new ball bowlers, Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra, against the Bangladeshi openers can prove decisive in determining how much of a threat Bangladesh pose. The duo weren't at their best in the ICC T20 World Cup in the Caribbean, but bowling a 10-over spell is a completely different kettle of fish. Harbhajan Singh and Ravindra Jadeja should be more or less certain to feature in the team.
The former has become a bit defensive in his approach in recent times but its important for the team that he goes back to his attacking ways and there can't be a better time to make the transition than in this match against a relatively weaker opposition. Jadeja was India's highest wicket-taker in the tri-series in Zimbabwe, but he has to be more economical to increase his effectiveness. Praveen Kumar and Pragyan Ojha will probably be the front-runners for the fifth bowler's position and the team management will in all probability be making the final call after assessing the conditions.
Bangladesh:-
Bangladesh haven't been consistent enough at the international stage and that's the main reason why they are still considered underdogs in practically every tournament they play. The team has shown glimpses of brilliance on more than a couple of occasions, but they need to sustain that for longer periods of time to be considered among the better teams in world cricket.
The start given by Bangladesh's openers, Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes, will have to be substantial if they want to challenge the Indians. Tamim, especially, has been in excellent form in the past month or so. He is someone who is not afraid of attacking the bowlers early in the innings. If he gets off to a flyer, it will help calm the nerves in the dressing room. Mohammad Ashraful has made a comeback to the ODI side after performing well in the T20 World Cup. Ashraful has played an instrumental role in whatever success Bangladesh has tasted at the international stage. He, along with Junaid Siddique, Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah will be part of a middle-order that has a lot of talent, but has not always done justice to the talent. It will just take 1 or 2 good partnerships to set the ball rolling in the right direction.
Mashrafe Mortaza has been Bangladesh's leading pacer in the past decade or so. If he manages to get Sehwag early, it can expose the not so experienced middle-order to the spinners. Spin is Bangladesh's strength, and more often than not they go in with as many as four spinners. Abdur Razzak and Shakib Al Hasan though will be the main men and their 20 overs will prove vital to the outcome of the match.
Naeem Islam and Mahmudullah, the other two spinners, will have to ensure that even if they do not pick up wickets, they should at least contain the batsmen. Bangladesh too have a decision to make regarding who will be partnering Mortaza with the new ball. They have Shafiul Islam, Rubel Hossain and Syed Rasel as possible options but Islam's impressive performance in the test series against England a fortnight ago might just give him an edge over the others.
Likely Playing XIs:
India: Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt. & wk), Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Praveen Kumar/Pragyan Ojha, Ashish Nehra
Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Junaid Siddique, Mohammad Ashraful, Shakib Al Hasan (capt.), Mahmudullah, Naeem Islam, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Mashrafe Mortaza, Abdur Razzak, Shafiul Islam
Indian And Bangladeshi's Players Who Watch The Match:-
Virender Sehwag: If Sehwag stays in the middle for 10 overs or more, India will surely be in the driver's seat. He has given India great starts in the past, and in Tendulkar's absence he'll have to take a bit more responsibility
Zaheer Khan: Zaheer's duel with Tamim Iqbal will be something to watch out for. If he gets Tamim early on it will put the Bangladesh middle order under a lot of pressure.
Tamim Iqbal: Tamim's importance to the side came to the forefront in the test series in England where the team suffered innings defeats in both the tests despite Tamim being the highest Run Scorer in the series.
Shakib Al Hasan: He is among the finest All Rounders in the world and can win matches with both bat as well as ball. Being the captain, he will be looking to lead his team by example.
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