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India Building Momentum In Advance Of English Tour

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Later this month the Indian cricket team will be heading to England for a lengthy tour against their host nation, a tour that stretches all the way to September. In that time they will play five Test matches, five One Day International matches, and one Twenty20 International match, all in pursuit of the Pataudi trophy. India will be looking to avenge the whitewashing they received in both the Test matches (4-0) and the ODI matches (3-0) the last time the team toured England in 2011.

Team India

Team India

Before England, however, the Indians must finish up their series in Bangladesh. Going in to the final ODI with the hosts, India has already won the series by taking the first two matches, and sits as a heavy 4/11 favorite to finish the whitewash according to oddsmakers on gambling.com.

The importance of this series with Bangladesh largely lies in the evaluation of players that may prove useful to India in the future. With a large talent disparity between the Indian squad and their Bangladesh hosts, a “second-string” batsmen lineup has been able to play for India, with bowlers seeking an opportunity to prove themselves finding playing time as well.

Particularly in the second ODI, the bowlers for India were very impressive, contributing heavily to India successfully defending their lowest total ever (105). Teenage Bangladesh bowler Taskin Ahmed looked to have set his side up nicely for a victory in that match, masterfully holding India to 105, only to see it all undone by an all-time great effort from Stuart Binny, who took six wickets while surrendering just four runs in a rain-shortened affair.

The efforts of Binny and fellow bowler Mohit Sharma kept Bangladesh to just 58, their lowest ever total against India. The first ODI saw India’s openers set up a deserved win, while the work of their bowlers in the second was nothing short of sensational. That leaves questions about the middle-order batsmen on the team, and if they can do well in the third and final match it would do wonders for India’s confidence going to England.

Having had such success from two portions of their team, achieving that third appears crucial going forward. If the managers and coach can figure out the proper lineup and get production, their chances at claiming the Pataudi Cup later this year should receive a huge boost.