Chance for Indian batters to get act right versus spinners

Sri Lanka exposed some frailties against spin that Bangladesh could exploit again in the final Asia Cup Super Four match

- Somshuvra Laha

Numbers don't lie. Notwithstanding the defeats in Dhaka and some close games at ICC events, India start Friday's Super Four match as overwhelming favourites against Bangladesh. The result won't bear any immediate consequence though, considering India are already in the final.

But rarely do India get an opportunity to play all three top subcontinent rivals within a week, that too with less than a month to go for a World Cup at home. In the grand scheme of things hence, there are quite a few scenarios that may need exhaustive rehearsals. Playing slow bowling is one of them.

It's not as if India haven't fared well in that category. Since the 2019 World Cup, Rohit Sharma averages 56.62, Shubman Gill 41.6 and Virat Kohli 38 per dismissal by slow bowlers in ODIS. Those are largely acceptable numbers since slow bowlers come into the fore around the 15-over mark by when the toporder normally gives way to the middle-order.

But Pakistan-currently No 1 in ODIs-have better numbers during the same phase: Imamul-Haq averages 61.63, Fakhar Zaman 58.75 and Babar Azam 50.63. That they have more hundreds than India's top three since 2019 suggests Pakistan's top order is used to batting deeper with greater returns, which can only happen when they play slow bowling well.