🏏 Bangladesh tour of India 2024: 2nd T20 India vs BD in Delhi

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.

In the spotlight: Hardik Pandya and Najmul Hossain Shanto

After the 2022 T20 World Cup, when Rohit took a sabbatical from the format, Hardik Pandya looked all set to replace him as India's permanent T20I captain. That didn't pan out. Even after Rohit's T20I retirement, the selectors went with Suryakumar. Hardik, meanwhile, seemed to have settled into the role of an anchor, first at Gujarat Titans and then the Indian team. But in Gwalior, he showed he could still be as destructive as any batter, smashing 39 not out off just 16 balls. Before that, he opened the bowling and took 1 for 26 from four overs.

If Hardik personified India's brave approach, Najmul Hossain Shanto's innings showed what Bangladesh need to work on. Coming in at No. 3, Shanto could manage only 27 runs, and two boundaries, despite facing 25 balls. A reason behind his cautious approach could be that Bangladesh had lost two wickets inside the first three overs, but even then a strike rate of 108 was too low. To change Bangladesh's fortunes, the captain will have to lead by example.

Form guide

India WWWWW (last five T20Is, most recent first)

Bangladesh LLLLW

Team news: Miraz to open?

Just to give as many players a chance, India could bring in Tilak Varma for Reddy and Harshit Rana for Mayank Yadav.

India (probable): 1 Sanju Samson (wk), 2 Abhishek Sharma, 3 Suryakumar Yadav (capt), 4 Tilak Varma, 5 Hardik Pandya, 6 Riyan Parag, 7 Rinku Singh, 8 Washington Sundar, 9 Harshit Rana, 10 Arshdeep Singh, 11 Varun Chakravarthy

Tamim Iqbal, who is in India as a commentator and an expert for the host broadcaster, said after the first T20I that he suggested to Shanto to open with Mehidy Hasan Miraz. Will Bangladesh listen to their former captain, or stick with what they have, or bring in Tanzid Hasan for Parvez Hossain Emon?

Bangladesh (probable): 1 Parvez Hossain Emon/Tanzid Hasan, 2 Litton Das (wk), 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), 4 Towhid Hridoy, 5 Mahmudullah, 6 Jaker Ali, 7 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 8 Rishad Hossain, 9 Taskin Ahmed, 10 Shoriful Islam, 11 Mustafizur Rahman

Pitch and conditions: A high-scoring venue

In the five matches played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in IPL 2024, the 200-mark was breached in eight out of ten innings. Obviously, those teams had an extra batter in the form of Impact Player, but even without the luxury, the expectation is for a high-scoring game on Wednesday. The weather should be clear with little chance of dew.

Stats and trivia: Suryakumar's double dose

Bangladesh have beaten India only once in 15 meetings in T20Is. The only team against whom Bangladesh have a worse record (minimum three T20Is) is South Africa: nine matches, nine losses.

On average, Suryakumar hits 2.01 sixes per innings (139 in 69) in T20I cricket. Among those who have hit at least 50 sixes in T20Is, only Evin Lewis (2.13; 111 in 52) averages more than two sixes per innings.

Hardik (87) and Arshdeep Singh (86) are fourth and fifth, respectively, on the list of most T20I wickets for India.

Litton Das is 53 short of becoming the third Bangladesh batter to score 2000 T20I runs. Shanto needs 65 to reach 1000.

Thanks for the tag

All the best Team India!

Quotes

"We [Punjab Kings] did not play here this IPL, but after seeing the scores, I did not feel like checking the wicket (laughs). But yeah, we will come tomorrow and see what could be a good plan here. And of course, the captain and the coach will check the wicket and share their plan."

India left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh on the pitch in Delhi

"Our bowlers are doing a wonderful job for the last few years. I don't think we played that badly in the first game. We shouldn't doubt ourselves based on one game. That'd be unfair. We have to come out of that zone and try to win the game. We tried to play aggressively with the bat. We have to be more organised, which will serve us better."

Bangladesh batter Mahmudullah mounts a defence of his team's performance

Thanks for the tag Soni.

May the best team win.

Cheers..

Thank you Soni for the thread and for tagging me.

It may be October but it's still very hot in Delhi, with temperatures hovering in the mid-thirties and feeling at least a couple of degrees higher. It's in line with how the capital city promises a little bit "extra" in everything it does, be it the metro's sprawling 350 kilometre network, which is largest in the country by 80%, or the flamboyant lifestyle of its residents.

The grandstand at the Arun Jaitley Stadium fits right into the theme, its unique part-hexagonal design going the extra mile to stand out. Coincidentally, it's named after India's head coach Gautam Gambhir, who's always asking more from his players and it was quite a sight when he stood in front of the "Gautam Gambhir Stand", this time wearing India colours, as his team geared up to seal the series in a day's time.