Unique | ‘Bangladesh performed very properly in Pakistan, however India…’: Mohammad Kaif on why upsets are unlikely within the sequence

NEW DELHI: India have dominated their Check rivalry in opposition to Bangladesh, successful the vast majority of the matches – 11 out of 13 with two ending in attracts. Bangladesh have struggled to compete with India’s robust batting line-ups and bowling assaults.
India’s batters like Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, and Rahul Dravid have usually confirmed too robust for Bangladesh assault.
Whereas India have overwhelmingly dominated the rivalry, Bangladesh’s enchancment within the final decade has added extra competitiveness to their encounters. Gamers like Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, and Tamim Iqbal have been key contributors for Bangladesh, and their presence has made these contests extra partaking.
Bangladesh shall be on a excessive after their Check sequence victory in opposition to Pakistan, however former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif believes that the guests don’t have it in them to stun the hosts.
In an unique interview with TimesofIndia.com, Kaif, who performed 13 Exams and 125 ODIs for India, stated that the hosts are very robust in dwelling situations and it will be very powerful for Bangladesh to throw up a shock.
On Bangladesh successful the Check sequence in Pakistan and their possibilities in India, Kaif stated, “India are very robust. Pakistan in any case are on a powerful group. Bangladesh performed very properly in Pakistan little question about that however even Bangladesh know that they should work very laborious to shock India.”
Kaif continued, “The final time India visited Bangladesh, they misplaced the ODI sequence and Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel batted properly to save lots of a Check, however at the moment some gamers have been lacking and in dwelling situations with the SG ball, India can be powerful to beat.”
India’s final Check sequence was at dwelling earlier this yr after they beat England 4-1 in February.
“Citing the instance of the England cricket group, who got here to India using excessive on ‘Bazball’, and even gained the primary Check and had ideas of successful the sequence in India, even they couldn’t do this. When a group like England misplaced the sequence so simply, that proves that this Indian group is a really balanced one,” Kaif elaborated.
Turning tracks have at all times been the centre of attraction in relation to Check cricket in India and this time each groups have high quality spinners of their ranks.
Relating to the pitches for the each Exams in Chennai and Kanpur, Kaif stated, “Each the Check matches shall be performed on black soil pitches having low bounce, each in Chennai and Kanpur.”
Tempo spearhead Jasprit Bumrah is in effective type however the mixture would come right down to the steadiness between pacers and spinners within the group with workload administration of the pacers in thoughts.
On the group mixture, Kaif stated, “India will certainly play three spinners in Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav and two pacers in Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. Kuldeep Yadav may play forward of Axar Patel, it’s a tricky name however Kuldeep is a real wicket-taker and his type just lately has been excellent.”
If the Indian assume tank lay out a turning observe, it might backfire as Bangladesh even have effective spinners of their ranks like Shakib Al Hasan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam. Kaif stated, “The final time when England got here, then India coach Rahul Dravid set an instance that we’ll have sporting tracks, not tracks on which Exams can recover from in a single and a half days, ones that even viewers would take pleasure in, have sufficient in them for batsmen to attain lots of and bowlers to take 5 wickets. When Ravi Shastri was coach and Virat Kohli was captain and South Africa performed a Check in Mohali, the match obtained over in 2-3 days. However Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma most well-liked respectable tracks, that’s good for batting at first, and has one thing in it for the spinners, like a correct Check pitch. Towards England, India performed on respectable tracks and that’s good for the sport and the followers, in order that good cricket prevails. Even Ajaz Patel took 10 wickets in opposition to India on a turning observe. So Dravid and Rohit have learnt that we’ve got a powerful squad so we gained’t play on an unprepared or a turning pitch, in order that the opposition batting collapses.”
This would be the first Check task for Crew India head coach Gautam Gambhir who changed Dravid.
Kaif continued, “Gautam Gambhir will absolutely take the recommendation of Rohit Sharma as will probably be his first Check sequence. So we’ve got high quality bowlers and high quality batsmen. Bangladesh should work very laborious and it’s not straightforward to beat India in India.”
On India dropping to Sri Lanka within the current ODI sequence, Kaif stated, “In white ball cricket you don’t get the time to bounce again and even weak groups can beat robust groups. However in Check matches, you get two innings, so a shock in a Check is uncommon. Upsets can occur regularly in white ball cricket, however this Indian Check group has very mature gamers. A participant like Dhruv Jurel should sit out. So this Indian group is excellent, even higher than England. Rishabh Pant is again, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are there. That is one of the best Indian group and Gambhir would need that the momentum that builds right here goes on until like Australia. This would be the crux of the group in Australia as properly. Mohammed Shami may are available Australia rather than a spinner however there gained’t be many modifications. Recreation time for Australia begins from the Bangladesh sequence and gamers ought to believe of taking part in within the center by the point they attain Down Below.”
The primary Check in opposition to Bangladesh begins in Chennai from Thursday and the second Check shall be performed in Kanpur from September 27.