India will be up against Bangladesh in match 2 of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai on Thursday, 20 February 2025. (More Cricket News)
The Rohit Sharma-led Indian team will try to come up with the best combination in their first fixture of Group A and start their campaign with a win before they meet arch-rivals and co-host Pakistan on 23 February.
The Najmul Hossain Shanto-led Bangladesh have an impactful bowling department with Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Nahid Rana and Mustafizur Rahman. Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Rishad Hossain have done well in the past in the spin department for Bangladesh.
Virat Kohli's form may be a concern for India but Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma looked very good in their last bilateral series against England. Harshit Rana or Mohammed Shami, it will be interesting to see whom team management plays in the first match.
India Vs Bangladesh - Full Squads
India: Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul(w), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Rishabh Pant, Washington Sundar
Bangladesh: Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto(c), Jaker Ali(w), Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Nahid Rana, Mustafizur Rahman, Towhid Hridoy, Rishad Hossain, Parvez Hossain Emon, Nasum Ahmed
As India prepare for their first group-stage match against Bangladesh, let's take a look at three key player battles that will be worthy to watch
1. Rohit Sharma vs Mustafizur Rahman
Rohit Sharma is set to give a good start to Indian innings and he will target the front-line bowlers of the Bangladesh side. Mustafizur Rahman, who usually comes to bowl in the first powerplay, will try to dismiss the Indian captain early in his inning. Sharma likes to take risks in the initial overs and Rahman might trap him with his slower and knuckle deliveries. The battler between the two veteran cricketers will be a treat to watch.
2. Najmul Hossain Shanto vs Arshdeep Singh
Najmul Hossain Shanto comes to bat at number three for Bangladesh and has done decent in the ODIs. Arshdeep Singh, who is comparatively newer to ODI cricket, has a knack for taking early wickets. He will be crucial for the Indian side. Shanto likes to take his time and then play his shots in the match. Asrhdeep could prove to be a vital weapon for him in the opener.
3. Virat Kohli vs Nahid Rana
India's batting stalwart is struggling with bad form and will try to come up with a big knock against Bangladesh to start his ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign with a bang! The young Bangla seamer Nahid Rana is well-known for his gun deliveries. He played against India and Virat Kohli in the Test bilateral series last year and can trouble Kohli. The former India captain would like to target him and use his pace to make more runs. The battle between the young speedster and a modern-day great will be a worthy one to watch.
