A run feast is what is on the cards for the IND vs BAN 1st T20I in Gwalior on October 6. Yes, you read that right. India’s mighty top-order has the apt platform to showcase their big-hitting ability in the first game in 14 years to be hosted at the Shrimant Madhavrao Scindia stadium. Not that Bangladesh don’t have destructive batters at the top, but it is safe to the say that the might of the Indian firepower is unmatched, especially at home.
IND vs BAN 1st T20I: It’s going to rain runs in Gwalior
The IND vs BAN 1st T20I will be the first international match to be hosted by the venue. The ground was used previously during the Madhya Pradesh League (MPL), with teams crossing 200 on four occasions out of the 12 games played. an MPCA official confirmed to The Indian Express that the surface would continue to support the batters, offering a hint of what is expected to come.
The Abhishek-Samson combo
With that being said, let us now take a look at the batting powerhouses that dominate the Indian top-order. To start off, we have the explosive Abhishek Sharma in the opener’s slot. An apt fit for the role, the SRH batter will hope to replicate his IPL 2024 heroics on the international stage. His partner, who could potentially be Sanju Samson, is no stranger to enjoying run feasts, especially when he bats at the top. His top score of 77 in T20I is from one out of the five games that he has opened in and that is a testament of his ability to strike big and at will.
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Explosive middle-order
Riyan Parag showed what he is capable of in the series against Sri Lanka, making himself a strong contender for the number three position. His ability to strike boundaries at will is a boost to the Indian top-order. Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav is next on the list and needs no introduction to going bonkers in the shortest format of the game with his frenzy hitting. Seasoned veteran Hardik Pandya, the swashbuckling Rinku Singh and Shivam Dube will be looking to flex their muscles and send the ball across the boundary as many times as possible, completing a destructive top-six for the hosts.
Additional firepower
Apart from the aforementioned batters, the Indian squad is rich in depth in terms of batting. Nithish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy and Jitesh Sharma also possess the ability to be destructive and take the bowlers to the cleaners as it is so often seen during the IPL and in certain international games. It is safe to say that India will be heading into the contest with a strong batting unit sans their usual suspects Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal or Ravindra Jadeja.
India squad for IND vs BAN T20Is
Suryakumar Yadav (C), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Rinku Singh, Hardik Pandya, Riyan Parag, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Varun Chakaravarthy, JItesh Sharma (wk), Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Mayank Yadav
