India will eye a series win against Bangladesh when the two teams meet for the second T20I in Delhi, on October 9. 

Power is already in the hands of the Indian hosts after they secured a seven-wicket victory in the first T20I in Gwalior.

India’s squad is delivering well, particularly in the absence of star players like Rishabh Pant, Axar Patel, and Jasprit Bumrah.

In the first T20I, players like Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, and debutants Mayank Yadav and Nitish Kumar Reddy delivered stoic performances. 

Samson, confirmed as India’s opener for the series displayed his commendable skills with a quickfire 19-ball 29. Having been in and out of the national squad since his debut in 2015, Samson has often been criticised for inconsistency. 

Abhishek Sharma delivered his power-hitting but missed out on converting a strong start. Together, Samson and Sharma will aim to put up substantial scores in Delhi, with a sellout crowd expecting brilliance on the field.

Meanwhile, Mayank Yadav maintained a raw pace on debut, while Nitish Kumar Reddy impressed as an all-rounder. Arshdeep Singh also held on to his pace attack and Varun Chakaravarthy who returned after a gap of three-years added mystery spin to India’s varied bowling options. 

Bangladesh on the other hand, seems to be trying too hard to adapt to the T20 format despite fielding a team filled with experienced campaigners. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto had admitted the team’s shortcomings after their defeat in Gwalior: "I wouldn't say we played badly. We are a better team than this, but we haven't done well in this format for a long time."

Source: India Today 

BDST: 1053 HRS, OCT 08, 2024
MN