The pitch on the Vivian Richards Stadium isn’t what it was. The tempo and bounce that had been so integral to cricket on this a part of the world is a factor of the previous and now it’s solely spin, spin and extra spin.
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Fairly predictably, India shifted from their four-pacer principle within the USA leg of the World Cup to a three-spin line-up, with Kuldeep Yadav being added to a lineup which already included Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel.
Kuldeep took 2-32 towards the Afghans after star pacer Jasprit Bumrah had carried out the early harm. The Indian assault is really wanting very balanced.
Bangladesh, too, throughout the course of their loss to Australia in Antigua in a day-nighter on Thursday, performed 4 spinners. Offies Mahedi Hassan and Mahmadullah will probably be backed by leggie Rishad Hossain and left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hassan.
On paper, Bangladesh have a little bit of depth, however that doesn’t rely for a lot in a recreation towards India. Man to man, India’s spinners are higher than Bangladesh, the Indian batters’ potential towards spin also needs to stand them in good stead.
Suryakumar Yadav might be one of the best participant of spin in limited-overs cricket and he has been in supreme contact of late, scoring two back-to-back, match-winning half-centuries. Shivam Dube, too, is a monster towards spin, and so is Rishabh Pant.
Virat Kohli remains to be due for an enormous rating however batting coach Vikram Rathour appears hardly bothered.
“Clearly we wish him to attain however even when he hasn’t, the others have chipped in, which is an efficient signal. However Virat stays on the high of the order and we all know he’ll get the runs,” Rathour mentioned.
Although there’s a quiet confidence about the way in which India are going about their job, there can all the time be a fear that complacency might creep into the ranks, particularly towards a group that isn’t fancied on paper. And the World Cup is being performed in such a format that one defeat can instantly make qualification tough, particularly with the specter of rain all the time not far away.
Whereas India will probably be eager to not have a curtailed recreation — Antigua doesn’t have any rain forecast within the subsequent couple of days — Rathour insisted that the group is taking all measures to make sure they don’t lose focus forward of a match like this.
“We all know what we’re anticipated to do and everybody understands that. There may be completely no choice for any type of complacency,” Rathour mentioned.
The truth that Bangladesh have a little bit of depth of their spin assault has additionally stored the Indian administration on their toes.
“They’ve some skilled spinners in circumstances that are beneficial for spin. And they’re group, there’s a motive why they’re within the Tremendous 8,” the batting coach warned.
The likes of Shakib, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Liton Das or Mustafizur Rahman have been taking part in India for a really very long time and it isn’t that they haven’t troubled the Males in Blue on an odd event or two, particularly in bilateral T20 cricket.
Left-arm medium pacer Mustafizur, not too way back, regarded notably good taking part in for Chennai Tremendous Kings within the IPL and his cutters may be efficient on a pitch like Antigua’s. Add to that the additional gear that Bangladesh will attempt to discover, particularly as a result of it’s India and their survival within the World Cup is on the road. India must keep away from any potential pitfalls.
