Time for Team India to retaliate as the Tigers prepare for the kill
Self-belief is a key to success and Bangladesh and India were at the two extreme ends of it in the first ODI of the three-match series. While Bangladeshis were flying high with it, the Indian team was suffering from a complete lack of it. The result was an emphatic win for the Bangla Tigers by 79 runs as they took a 1-0 lead in the series.
Come the second ODI and the expectations are rife for fans on both ends. While the home supporters will look forward to a historic first series win over India, fans back in India will want their team to get back to winning ways. The Bangladeshi fans will be filling in the numbers at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Mirpur on Sunday adding to the pressure for the visiting team.
The Indians have certainly been taken by surprise by what transpired in the first ODI. To start off with, they did not expect Bangladesh to play four pacers and the lone spinner. They also did not expect the aggressive intent shown by the batsmen, the openers in particular. What was also surprising was the way in which the batting fell apart completely after a solid opening stand.
Where They Stand
India truly have their backs against the wall at the moment and there are suddenly many areas that need addressing. The fast bowling department was the biggest letdown as the three pacers conceded 148 runs in the 19.4 overs that they bowled. Among the two spinners, only Ashwin managed to pull back the free flowing Bangladeshi batsmen with 3 for 51 in his 10 overs.
The batting also failed to make an impact with only Rohit Sharma getting a fifty and Raina scoring 40, while the other big guns like Kohli and Dhoni fell for single-digit scores.
Bangladesh, on the other hand, are on cloud nine with things falling into place so perfectly for them. The openers Tamim Iqbal and Soumya Sarkar gave them a roaring start while Shakib Al Hasan and Sabbir Rahman got them back on track after a slight wobble. A solid batting performance was followed up by an inspired bowling performance led by debutant Mustafizur Rahman’s five-wicket haul. What caught everyone’s attention the most was the manner in which they backed themselves to win against a strong Indian unit.
Plan of Action
Team India have to bring out their A-game if they are looking to level the series in Mirpur on Sunday. The batsmen need to be less complacent and should try to make the most of the opportunities they get. Most batsmen were guilty of throwing their wickets away too easily in the first ODI.
The fast bowlers must look to put up a much better show this time around and not fall short of ideas too quickly. They also need to ensure that there is adequate support for Ashwin in the spin bowling department. What is also badly required is the hunger to win which was seemingly missing in the opening game.
Meanwhile, the Bangladeshis need to be careful as they will be taking on a hurting Indian team. True, they have outplayed the visitors in the first match, but they need to find ways to do it on a consistent basis. The batsmen need to carry on the good work and try to push for bigger individual scores as well. The bowlers, too, must look to make early inroads to put pressure on the Indian batting straightaway. How much they have improved over the past couple of years will be tested in the remaining two matches and they will try not to let their performance drop.
India’s loss in the first match has made the three-match series all the more interesting and it remains to be seen what unfolds in Sunday’s encounter at Mirpur.