3 Dramatic Events That Ignited the India Bangladesh rivalry
In the early 2000s, India and Bangladesh were on friendly terms, in the same manner, as where India and Afghanistan are today. The BCCI stood by Bangladesh and helped them to become a competitive cricketing nation and fought for their test status. Like Afghanistan, Bangladesh too played their first test against India.
What then transpired between the two nations, and how did Bangladesh become India's rivals? Why has Bangladesh seemingly turned against the same nation that helped them to get where they are today in terms of cricket?
Here are the 3 major incidents that point out the two nations falling out with each other.
#1. Bangladesh Defeating India in World Cup 2007:
Team India was left underwhelmed by their own performance
Until the 2007 World Cup, nobody took Bangladesh quite seriously. Bangladesh grew and flourished under the shadows of the BCCI, in return casting their vote in the BCCI's favour during each ICC election. Bangladesh was like a younger sibling who always did as per the instructions of its big brother in cricket - India.
After defeating India in 2007, thereby ruling them out of the tournament, this same team seemed to get an air of arrogance about them. They no longer wanted to be seen under the shadows of their elder brother and instead demanded an independent status and respect - something that they never had.
Bangladesh defeating India was much like a kid moving out of his dad's house trying to carve an identity for itself.
India was shocked by their early World Cup exit. The likes of Ganguly, Dravid, Tendulkar, Sehwag, Dhoni, Zaheer, Yuvraj and Harbhajan took it upon themselves to never let it happen again.
They whitewashed Bangladesh in the series just following the World Cup and defeated them in the group stage match in the 2011 World Cup - thus avenging the rivalry. Sehwag sparking statements like 'Bangladesh is an ordinary team' just before the 2011 World Cup further intensified the fire within the Bangladesh team.