3 reasons why India's defeat to Bangladesh is a wake-up call

Team India ran into a high-flying Bangladesh outfit and lost the opening ODI of the three-match series at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka on Sunday, December 4.

Mustering a mere 186 having been asked to bat first, the visitors gave it everything with the ball and put on a spirited display. Yet, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, in the company of Mustafizur Rahman, put on a last-wicket partnership worth an unbeaten 54 to seal a thriller for Bangladesh.

Mind you, Bangladesh are highly potent as an ODI outfit, having won series in both South Africa and the West Indies this year. Having said that, India experienced a rude shock as they turned in an insipid batting display (with the exception of KL Rahul) before snatching defeat from the jaws of victory later on.

The 50-over World Cup is scheduled to be played at home next year and the loss to Bangladesh on Sunday was a rude wake-up call to that end for Rohit Sharma and Co.

Let's look at three reasons why:

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#1 The Indian team must tidy up its fundamentals

While the body language of the Indian fielders was at its best for a good part of their defense against Bangladesh, they were caught napping towards the latter stages.

With the hosts at 136/9 and still requiring 51 for victory, the Men in Blue let the opportunity to slam the door shut slip by.

A couple of rookie fielding lapses - something that has plagued them for a good time now - came back to haunt them eventually. Not for no reason does the saying go 'catches win matches' but even keeping aside the shelled opportunities, India have been found wanting on the field far too often to their liking in recent times.

This, plus their failure to close the game in Mirpur, was a harsh reminder of how they must look to polish their fundamentals and avoid mishaps on that front. Especially with a World Cup lined up next year.

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#2 A reminder that tough calls will have to be made for the 2023 ODI World Cup

You can only take fifteen players to a World Cup and that is the rule. There are options aplenty to choose from, but that makes the selection process a lot tougher.

Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, and Rishabh Pant are vying for two middle-order spots while Shubman Gill is breathing more heavily down Shikhar Dhawan's neck with every passing failure of the latter.

Needless to say, tough calls will have to be made heading into the 2023 ODI World Cup. One reckons that it has to be done right away in order to give the best XI a good run of games in the lead-up to the marquee event.

India's loss in the series opener to Bangladesh was another timely reminder of why certain tough decisions will have to be made if such roadblocks are to be averted in time to come.

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#3 Cracks can't be papered over again like at the T20 World Cup

India cannot afford more loopholes like those at the T20 World Cup, lest they resurface like they did in the semifinal against England.

There's no denying that India's run into the semi-finals of the recent T20 World Cup in Australia saw them paper over a number of loopholes. That they had just five or six standout performers on a consistent basis adds further notion to the same, with those on the bench not imposing enough confidence with their form.

All of that came back to haunt them in the semi-final clash against England and that is a bitter lesson that they will have to learn from. They can't afford an encore of the same at the 50-over World Cup next year and a sense of ruthlessness - be it with their selections or with their approach - has to be the order of time.

Having lost the first ODI to Bangladesh in the manner they did, it was a further reiteration of the errors the Indian team can't afford to camouflage for long.

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What is your view on how the Indian team is shaping up ahead of the 50-over World Cup next year? Let us know in the comments section below!

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