Having already secured their spot in the final, India faces an already eliminated Bangladesh in a Super Four match of the Asia Cup on Friday. The Rohit Sharma-led team faces the dilemma of whether to provide more game time to their first-choice team or offer opportunities to fringe players ahead of the upcoming World Cup at home next month.
Workload management, particularly for bowlers, becomes a crucial consideration. Jasprit Bumrah has bowled just 12 overs in the Asia Cup so far, with five against Pakistan and seven against Sri Lanka. He did not play against Nepal. The decision could come down to Bumrah, whether he opts to test his skills against batsmen in one more match or rests for the summit clash on September 17.
On the other hand, Mohammed Siraj has bowled 19.2 overs, and Hardik Pandya has bowled 18 overs in the tournament. While these numbers may not seem heavy, the energy-sapping humidity in Colombo might prompt the team management to give one of them a break. In this context, it wouldn't be surprising if Shami replaces Siraj against Bangladesh, allowing the senior pacer to gain valuable match practice before the World Cup.
Concerns also arise regarding the diminishing performance of Axar Patel, who has been identified as a cover for Ravindra Jadeja. Axar has struggled to take wickets and control the run-flow, an area where Jadeja excels. With only three wickets in seven ODIs this year and an economy rate around six, Axar needs to significantly improve his game.
KL Rahul's return to full fitness has resolved many issues for the team management. Rahul has batted fluently and kept wickets agilely. He has been assigned the role of India's premier wicket-keeper-cum-middle-order batsman, providing clarity to his role in the team.
Shreyas Iyer's fitness is another aspect to watch, as he missed the Super Four matches against Pakistan and Sri Lanka due to a back spasm. While he batted and bowled at nets without apparent discomfort, the management might consider giving him extra time to recover. In such a scenario, they can choose between Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav. While Kishan has performed well in ODIs, Suryakumar, despite disappointing numbers in the format, is viewed as an important part of India's white-ball setup.
As for Bangladesh, they will be without wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur Rahim in this match. Rahim returned home after their Super Four match against Sri Lanka, which they lost by 21 runs. In his absence, Litton Das is expected to take over wicketkeeping duties. However, their captain, Shakib al Hasan, has rejoined the team after a brief visit home to spend time with his family.
Teams:
India: Rohit Sharma (captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya (vice-captain), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna.
Bangladesh: Shakib Al Hasan (captain), Anamul Haque Bijoy, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Afif Hossain Dhrubo, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Nasum Ahmed, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Naim Sheikh, Shamim Hossain, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Tanzim Hasan Sakib.
The match is scheduled to begin at 3 PM IST.
Where to watch: Star Sports Network and live streaming on Dinsey + Hotstar.
