Summer has dented the Garden City’s oft-praised attribute – ‘salubrious weather’ – and as the temperature rises, there is another kind of warmth emanating from the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru.
After brushing aside its debilitating loss to New Zealand and finding a second wind through a victory over Pakistan, India seems to be settling into the groove. That could only whip up more heat, in a cricketing sense, as the host takes on Bangladesh on Wednesday night.
It doesn’t mean that all the cogs are in place and M.S. Dhoni’s men have overnight turned into a well-oiled machine. Yet, there are signs of slow and steady progress, with a tougher battle against Australia imminent.
The think-tank may perhaps look at the recent returns of Rohit Sharma (5, 10), Shikhar Dhawan (1, 6) and Suresh Raina (1, 0) as mere aberrations. The troika has the game for Twenty20s, however; besides, only Virat Kohli, M.S. Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh have managed some runs. Yet, this is not the time for alarm bells since India held its nerve despite losing early wickets against Pakistan and mounted a fruitful chase.
The bowling has found a new shepherd in Ashish Nehra, whose comeback proves that Twenty20 has space for the performing veteran. The 36-year-old has been in fine fettle, working up decent pace and maintaining tight lines. Along with him, if R. Ashwin and fellow spinners thrive on a track that isn’t exactly a belter like the ones seen in the IPL, India may constrict Bangladesh.
The visitor is reeling after two defeats and burdened by a middling history in the tournament. After defeating the West Indies in the inaugural event in South Africa in 2007, Bangladesh has not vanquished a single Test-playing nation in the subsequent editions. It is a barren run that India would do well to capitalise on.
The heartburn caused by the suspension of Taskin Ahmed and Arafat Sunny for suspect actions has placed Mashrafe Mortaza’s men in a quandary. The doubt over Tamim Iqbal’s availability – the indisposed opener missed the contest against Australia – remains another worry. Seasoned men like Shakib Al Hasan, though, will take heart from the way Bangladesh delayed the inevitable against Steve Smith’s strong unit.
There may be a sense of vulnerability in its rival’s ranks but India would do well to remember that Bangladesh, at times, punches above its weight. The defeat against the neighbour in the 50-over 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean and the way Mushfiqur Rahim played a blinder and spoilt the party spirit around Sachin Tendulkar’s 100th hundred at Dhaka in 2012 are wounds that still fester.
The ‘Men in Blue’ need to get past Bangladesh to stay at ease in a group that might get into cluster-mode on the final stretch.
