5 Bangladesh cricketers India will be wary of in the upcoming series

With the memories of a tough battle in the quarter-final of the World Cup still fresh, India will kick-start their International season against the resurgent Bangladesh cricket team. Bangladesh is coming off a dominating performance against Pakistan in the recently concluded home series and will hope to carry forward the winning momentum against India.

India too, with their full-strength squad and new backroom personnel, will look forward to improve their record against the neighboring nation. India will do well not to take Bangladesh lightly as a slip in Bangladesh would be highly embarrassing for the World Cup semi-finalists.

Bangladesh has been strengthened by some powerful performances from their experienced cricketers as well as talented youngsters in the lead up to the series against India. Let us look at the list of top five Bangladesh players who can pose a threat to India in the upcoming series:

1. Tamim Iqbal

Tamim Iqbal

Who better than Indian fans would know the exploits of this talented young batsman? Tamim Iqbal played an instrumental role in causing shocking defeats to India during the preliminary stages of both the 2007 World Cup and the 2012 Asia Cup. The left-handed opener has been enjoying a rich vein of form recently. He struck back-to-back ODI centuries and followed it up with a record-breaking Test double hundred in the home series against Pakistan.

Tamim’s huge impact on Bangladesh cricket can be judged from the fact that he now holds the record for Bangladesh’s highest scores in all three formats of the game. The Indian bowlers will have to come up with a special plan to counter the hard-hitting batsman; otherwise he might very well prove to be India’s nemesis once again.

2. Mushfiqur Rahim

Mushfiqur Rahim

Mushfiqur has been arguably Bangladesh's most consistent batsman across all formats. This chirpy wicket-keeper has brought life into Bangladesh’s middle-order by scoring heavily and that too at a brisk pace.

With a clever mind and an aggressive batting style, he threatens to take the game away from the opposition in no time. The pocket-sized dynamo was the cornerstone of Bangladesh’s success in the ODI series against Pakistan, scoring at an average of almost 110 runs with an equally astonishing strike-rate.

He has an impressive record against India and is rated very highly by his teammates having been described as a “run machine” by his captain, Mashrafe Mortaza.

3. Mahmudullah

Mahmudullah

Mahmudullah was the chief architect of Bangladesh’s astounding success during the 2015 World Cup. After spending half of his career at No. 7, Mahmudullah found a new life batting up the order and slammed consecutive hundreds that helped Bangladesh qualify for the knock-out stage.

His sound technique backed by an exquisite shot-range makes him well-suited in all three formats of the game. This crafty all-rounder has a cool and calm head over his strong shoulders.

With his ability to contribute equally with bat and ball, Mahmudullah is one of the major components of Bangladesh’s blueprint for success in International cricket and in their quest to take the next leap forward.

4. Mominul Haque

Mominul Haque

In a short career spanning only 13 games, this young batting sensation has already registered his name in cricketing record books alongside legendary players. Mominul Haque has equalled Sir Vivian Richards’s record of 50-plus scores in 11 consecutive Test matches and also currently holds the distinction of having the second-highest average in test history with 61.85 runs, only second to the great Don Bradman.

This diminutive yet stylish southpaw is equally potent against spin and pace and is known to put a big price on his wicket. He is touted to be one of the most technically correct batsmen Bangladesh has ever produced and will prove to be a vital cog in Bangladesh’s batting plans especially in the longest format.

5. Rubel Hossain

Rubel Hossain

Clocking speeds of 140 kmph and above consistently, Rubel Hossain was Bangladesh’s bowling spearhead during the World Cup. The slingy right-arm bowler possesses a great yorker and showed his abilities in fiery spells against India and England.

The troubled pacer who has recently been cleared of sexual assault charges by a Dhaka court will be raring for some on-field action against India and Virat Kohli in particular. If their altercation during the World Cup quarter-final is anything to go by, the rivalry between Hossain and Kohli might prove to be one of the most interesting battles for the fans to look forward to.