"Who is our death bowler?" - Mohammad Kaif says Rohit Sharma & Co. crumbled under pressure

Mohammad Kaif has said that India's death-bowling issues came to the fore and that they succumbed under pressure in the first ODI against Bangladesh in Mirpur on Sunday, December 4.

The Men in Blue were bowled out for a below-par 186 after being asked to bat first. However, their bowlers reduced Litton Das and Co. to 136/9 before an unbroken 51-run last-wicket-partnership between Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Mustafizur Rahman helped the Tigers register an unlikely win.

While reviewing the game on Sony Sports, Kaif highlighted that the Indian bowlers undid their good work with their indifferent performances in the last few overs, elaborating:

"It was India's game, they had taken nine wickets. The bowling was excellent, they got India back into the game after the batters had a bad day. The bowling covered up for that until the 40th over, but the last 10 overs, who is our death bowler? Is it Deepak Chahar or Kuldeep Sen?"

Kaif pointed out that India's fielding was also found wanting. The former Indian batter observed:

"We dropped catches. KL Rahul doesn't keep that often. He is a good fielder, he ran out Litton Das with a direct hit from the deep in the T20 World Cup. Sundar didn't dive to try and take the catch."

KL Rahul grassed a steepler of Miraz when Bangladesh still required 32 runs with the last pair at the crease. Washington Sundar did not go for a catch offered by the Tigers' spin-bowling all-rounder off the very next delivery.

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"You have to overcome pressure if you have to win the World Cup" - Mohammad Kaif

Deepak Chahar bowled two no-balls in his second spell.

Kaif added that India need to learn how to handle pressure if they want to go all the way at next year's World Cup. He stated:

"The fielders were seen under pressure. We made mistakes under pressure. We bowled wide balls and no-balls. You have to overcome pressure if you have to win the World Cup. That is how a team emerges, whether you talk about New Zealand or England, who are at the top in white-ball cricket."

Kaif lauded Miraz for taking his team across the line but added that the Indian bowlers and a few captaincy errors helped his cause, saying:

"I am disappointed that we are crumbling under pressure. You can talk about captaincy or bowling changes. The game went well until the 40th over, but then came Mehidy Hasan Miraz and showed the Bangladesh batters how to play. But I feel the young bowlers couldn't finish the game in the last 10 overs."

Miraz smashed Kuldeep Sen for two sixes over third man off short and wide deliveries in the 41st over of Bangladesh's innings. Deepak Chahar then started his second spell with a no-ball (high full toss) and conceded three boundaries in the over before overstepping when the hosts needed just four runs.