High-flying India favourites for high-scoring contest in Delhi
A win would seal the series for them with Bangladesh looking for batting improvement
Big picture: India's attacking template
Despite two debutants and plenty of fresh faces in the side, India steamrolled Bangladesh in the first T20I in Gwalior, chasing down 128 inside 12 overs. Yes, India were always the favourites but this also showed how far Bangladesh are behind the curve in T20I cricket.
The way India played showed that Suryakumar Yadav and Gautam Gambhir are continuing the attacking template set by Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid that helped them clinch the T20 World Cup earlier this year. Apart from Nitish Kumar Reddy (16 not out off 15 balls), everyone batted at a strike rate above 150. Moreover, they no longer suffer from the problem of their batters not chipping in with the ball. Their XI in the first T20I had as many as eight bowling options, something Suryakumar called a "happy headache".
On the other hand, Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto admitted that his batters do not know how to score 180 in a T20I, as they are used to playing on 140-150 pitches at home. But that is one hurdle they will have to overcome if they are to keep the series alive.
If they need further motivation, the current series will be Mahmudullah's last in this format. He retires as Bangladesh's most capped T20I player, and they will like to send him off on a positive note.
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