India vs Bangladesh 1st T20I: Match Preview and Predictions

White ball series gets underway 

After an eventful and thrilling red-ball series, team India’s new T20 journey post the Sharma-Kohli-Jadeja era kicks off against Bangladesh. Captain Suryakumar Yadav has a young and relatively inexperienced squad with him as they host Bangladesh in the three-match T20I series. 

Ahead of the first T20I, here’s our match preview and prediction. 

India vs Bangladesh 1st T20I | Bangladesh tour of India 2024 | 19:00 IST, 06 October 2024

With no Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli at the top of the order, team India have the young and explosive Abhishek Sharma with the talented and inconsistent Sanju Samson. Suryakumar Yadav will have added responsibility, to not only lead the team but be the backbone of a young lineup.  The middle order has the upcoming Riyan Parag with the two allrounders in Shivam Dube and probably the team’s most experienced player, Hardik Pandya. Rinku Singh will be the designated finisher and the management will be hoping for a strong series from someone they want to tie down to that role. 

In the bowling department, Arshdeep Singh will be leading the attack with the youngsters such as Harshit Rana and Mayank Yadav all set to make a mark on the big stage. India have plenty of talent in the spin department as well, with the handy Washington Sundar, Ravi Bisnoi and Varun Charavarthy in the squad. 

Bangladesh on the other hand have a strong and experienced T20 squad with the likes of Litton Das, Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Mustafizur Rahman. The visitors also have the young and exciting leg spinner Rishad Hossain in their squad, who will be key for the visitors in the series, after having a stellar T20 World Cup earlier this year. 

This will be the first international match at the Shrimant Madhavrao Scindia Cricket Stadium in Gwalior and while there is not much of a read on previous scores on the pitch, we should be in for a close game given the new faces in the Indian camp and the experience in the Bangladeshi one. We are expecting a close game that might go either way but give the slight edge to the hosts.

Fantasy XI: Abhishek Sharma, Litton Das, Suryakumar Yadav, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Hardik Pandya, Megidy Hasan Miraz, Rinku Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Rishad Hossain, Arshdeep Singh, Mustafizur Rahman

Venue: Gwalior

Winners Prediction: India