Abysmal, pathetic, embarrassing – you can take you pick of adjectives to describe India's performances in the first two ODIs against Bangladesh.
With the series now lost, and only pride to play for, it will be interesting to see how India lineup for the 3rd one-day international in Mirpur.
Fourteen of the 15 players in the squad have been given an opportunity in the first two ODIs, and not a single one of them has been able to put up a match-winning performance.
R Ashwin has looked good with his off-spinners, but wickets haven't come as often as he would have liked. Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma have also scored a couple of half-centuries, but, again, they haven't been able to convert them into a big score.
Had Rohit carried on in the 1st ODI, that 308-run target might well have been within reach. And had Dhawan been able to push on from his 53, India might have gotten a big score, and with it put Bangladesh under more pressure.
Everything looks easier in hindsight, of course, but what cannot be denied is India's performances have not been even remotely up to the standard expected of them.
Dhoni would have hoped three changes to the lineup for the 2nd ODI – Ambati Rayudu, Dhawal Kulkarni and Axar Patel came in for Ajinkya Rahane, Umesh Yadav and Mohit Sharma respectively – would have brought about a change in fortunes, but it was not to be as Rayudu failed with the bat, while Axar and Kulkarni just did not have enough runs to defend.
Stuart Binny is the only player yet to not get a game in this series, and with Bangladesh already winning the first two matches, Dhoni might consider giving the all-rounder an opportunity.
Binny created history by picking up six wickets for just four runs the last time India toured Bangladesh last year, and while the pitch this time around is nothing similar to that swinging and seaming one in Mirpur, there really is no harm in taking a chance and giving the Karnataka player a chance.
Ravindra Jadeja continues to flatter to deceive with ball and bat, and with Dhoni already having a left-arm spinner in Axar, who was much more impressive with the ball than Jadeja, in the side, it makes sense to give Binny a chance.
Other changes are unlikely, as Rayudu, despite his failure, is likely to get another chance to impress in the middle of the order, while Dhawal Kulkarni did enough to keep his place in the side ahead of Umesh and Mohit, who were tonked all over the park in the 1st ODI.
There is a chance, however, that Bhuvneshwar Kumar could make way for one of the other fast bowlers, since the medium-pacer has also not quite been able to make an impression with the white ball.
Considering how bad India have batted, though, Bhuvneshwar might keep his place in the side owing to his superior ability with the willow when compared with Umesh and Mohit.
Bangladesh have no such worries when it comes to team composition, and even if they might have already won the series, the chance to make it a clean sweep against such formidable opposition like India should ensure the hosts go with the same XI.
Having said that, Arafat Sunny, the left-armer, Mominul Haque, the talented batsman, and Rony Talukdar are pretty good options if Mashrafe Mortaza and coach Chandika Hathurusingha feel the need to give them an opportunity.
One thing is for sure – there is no way Mustafizur Rahman is going to be given a rest.
Expected lineups: India: Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni (capt), Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, Stuart Binny, Axar Patel, R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Dhawal Kulkarni.
Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Litton Das, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Sabbir Rahman, Nasir Hossain, Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), Rubel Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman.
Schedule: Bangladesh vs India at theShere Bangla Stadium in Mirpur (Match starts 3 pm local time, 2.30 pm IST, 10 am BST, 5 am ET).
