World Cup 2019: 3 talking points from the warm-up game between India vs Bangladesh

After having lost to New Zealand in the first warm-up game, India bounced back brilliantly in the second warm-up fixture against Bangladesh and registered a convincing 95-run victory at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff on May 28.

Asked to bat first, India suffered the early loss of Shikhar Dhawan who scored just 1 run while Rohit Sharma struggled to score as well. Vijay Shankar, too, failed to impress with the bat as he was dismissed for 2 off 7 deliveries. However, captain Virat Kohli's 47, KL Rahul's stabilizing knock of 108 and MS Dhoni's blistering 78-ball 113 took India to 359 after 50 overs for the loss of 7 wickets.

Chasing the competitive total, the Bangladesh openers gave them a steady start. India found their first breakthrough via Jasprit Bumrah who dismissed Soumya Sarkar and broke the 49-run partnership. Liton Das and Mushfiqur Rahim stitched a 120-run partnership in order to efforts were in vain as the other batsmen failed to build on that partnership and collapsed for a score of 264.

#1 KL Rahul and MS Dhoni's centuries

After having lost Shikhar Dhawan very cheaply, opener Rohit Sarma and Virat Kohli tried to build a meaningful partnership but failed to do so. In their 45-run partnership, Rohit recorded a mere 19 off 42. His poorly constructed innings came to an end while he was dismissed via an inside edge off Rubel Hossain in the 14th over.

KL Rahul came in to bat at No. 4, the much-discussed position in India's batting line up. He supported his captain very well and added 33 runs before Kohli was bowled by a yorker off Mohammad Saifuddin. Vijay Shankar, another potential candidate for India's No. 4 spot, failed to make an impact and soon left India struggling at 102-4 after 22 overs.

The pressure fell upon Rahul and the experienced MS Dhoni, both of whom tried to resurrect the innings. Rahul being the set batsman took charge and began to accelerate the innings while Dhoni supported him very well. Rahul reached his fifty off 45 balls in the 26th over.

He took on Shakib Al Hasan for two boundaries and a six in the 31st over then Dhoni too joined the party. He took 40 balls to bring his fifty and reached it with a boundary, wide of deep mid-wicket off Mosaddek Hossain in the 37th over.

In the 42nd over, KL Rahul brought up his hundred and put seemingly sealed his berth for the number 4 batting position. His brilliant innings came to an end when he mistimed the ball and got an inside edge after scoring 108 off 99, including 12 fours and 4 sixes.

However, that didn't slow India's scoring rate down as the dangerous Dhoni was still at the crease. The former skipper was supported by Hardik Pandya and instantly began began taking the bowling attack to the cleaners. Though Pandya fell for 21, Dhoni's back-to-back sixes took him to a blistering century which he brought up in style - a maximum off Aby Jayed in the penultimate over. His swashbuckling 78-ball 113 included 8 fours and 7 sixes. Later, Jadeja's 11 off 4 lifted India to a competitive total of 359 with the loss of 7 wickets.

#2 Liton Das-Mushfiqur Rahim's 120-run stand

Mushfiqur Rahim. (Picture: Getty Images)

While chasing the total, Bangladesh openers Liton Das and Soumya Sarkar got off to a steady start where they compiled 49 runs in 9.4 overs before Jasprit Bumrah provided India with the first breakthrough. The pacer dismissed Sarkar for 25. This was followed by Shakib being dismissed for a golden duck.

Two consecutive dismissals left Bangladesh at 49-2 after 10 overs. They needed a partnership at that time which could stabilize the situation. Mushfiqur Rahim came to bat and tried to began to stitch a partnership with Das.

Liton Das along with Rahim played beautifully, rotating the strike and hit big shots whenever deemed necessary. Das brought up his half-century with a boundary off Yuzvendra Chahal in the 24th over while Rahim smashed Shankar for a boundary and a six in the following over. Their consecutive big shots helped their side to cross 150-mark by the 27th over.

However, their 120-run partnership was successfully broken by Chahal when Dhoni stumped Das for 73. Rahim, on the other hand, tried his best to keep scoreboard going. His patient innings came to an end when Kuldeep Yadav bowled him for 90 off 94 which included 8 boundaries and 2 sixes.

#3 Kuldeep and Chahal back in the form

Kuldeep Yadav (Picture: BCCI)

After having posted a whopping total of 359, it was on the bowlers to restrict the opponent. While Bumrah provided the first breakthrough to his team, Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal too joined the party and they certainly did not disappoint.

Chahal broke the 120-run partnership between Liton Das and Mushfiqur Rahim while Yadav didn't allow the batsmen to settle in at the crease. Das' dismissal was the turning point for his side as the middle order crumbled under pressure. The spin duo of Kuldeep and Chahal picked up 3 wickets apiece which left Bangladesh eight wickets down.

Though Mohammad Saifuddin and Mehidy Hasan hit a few shots, their efforts were not enough to get past the line and they eventually got bundled out for 264 in the final over. Apart from the spinners' phenomenal performances, Bumrah took 2 wickets and Jadeja picked up 1 for India. If Dhoni-Rahul's centuries built the solid foundation for the side, the bowlers capitalized brilliantly and registered a scintillating victory.