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The first India-Bangladesh T20I of the three-match series will be played in Gwalior on Sunday, October 6. The Suryakumar Yadav-led side would look to repeat the Test team's heroics, while the visitors will be keen to make a resounding comeback after a 2-0 whitewash in the red-ball series.
The Men in Blue's last T20I series witnessed them securing a 3-0 clean sweep against Sri Lanka, with Suryakumar and Ravi Bishnoi being the top performers for the side.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh lost all their games in the Super 8 stage of the 2024 T20 World Cup. Towhid Hridoy and Rishad Hossain emerged as the top players for the Tigers. The upcoming series will also be their first assignment after the veteran all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan's departure from the T20I setup.
On that note, let's check out the three things Bangladesh need to do well to prevail over India in the first game of the T20I series.
#1 Secure early breakthroughs to put Indian middle order under pressure
Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson will be the openers for the Indian side in the opening game. Although Abhishek played well in his debut T20I series against Zimbabwe, he is yet to face a fine-tuned bowling attack.
On the other hand, Samson will be under pressure due to his new batting position and bad international form. Skipper Suryakumar Yadav will come at No. 3 to lead India's challenge.
Bangladeshi bowlers Tanzim Hasan Sakib and Taskin Ahmed, who wreaked havoc against South Africa in the T20 World Cup, will look to be potent in the powerplay. An optimum speed with good rhythm and aggression can help them induce early breakthroughs and curtail India's momentum.
#2 Opt for an attacking approach against Indian spin twins
It will be crucial for Bangladesh to play with an aggressive approach against the Indian spin twins - Varun Chakravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi. Varun has multiple variations up his sleeve and cramps the batters with accurate lines and lengths. Meanwhile, Bishnoi is a steady operator and floats in his googlies to confuse batters.
Rather than trying to play it safe, Bangladesh batters need to be proactive in scoring runs against both spinners. It will help the side create pressure on the tweakers and can put them off their lengths, which might result in the batters scoring runs freely.
#3 Find hefty contributions from Liton Das and Mahmudullah
Liton Das and Mahmudullah will be the most important batters for the visitors in the first T20I due to their experience and impressive track record. Opener Liton will look to set a platform for Bangladesh with his ball-striking abilities against the pacers.
Along with providing a good start, he will have to play as an anchor to help the side post a strong total. He will certainly take confidence from his 60-run knock off 27 balls against India in T20 World Cup 2022.
On the other hand, Mahmudullah gives the side a much-needed boost in terms of hitting in the death overs. He can provide the team with a fiery cameo and take the game deep due to his calm-headed approach.
However, both players have a subpar strike rate of around 110 against the spinners. So, if they can keep their wickets safe against the spinners, the duo can help the visitors post a formidable total.
