Spotlight on Indian youngsters

A few days after the completion of the Indian Premier League (IPL), and just a few days before the start of the lengthy England tour, India embark on a short visit to Bangladesh, three ODIs to be precise.

With a hectic international calendar ahead, it was understandable when the BCCI named a weakened side for the series. While MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli were reported to have requested the board to not consider them for the tour, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Mohammad Shami have also been given a break. As such, Suresh Raina, who wasn't even a part of the last ODI squad (the Asia Cup), finds himself leading a bunch of talented youngsters, some of whom are trying to break into the national team, while for some others, it is time to show that there is still a chance for revival.

India:

With so many seniors rested, the onus will be on skipper Suresh Raina to lead the batting department. For company, he has the transformed Robin Uthappa at the top of the order - The Karnataka batsman is in the form of his life. After helping the South Indian state to a domestic treble (Ranji, Irani and Vijay Hazare trophy), he sparkled at the top of the order for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), playing a huge part in their title triumph. Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara are Test regulars, but they aren't yet confirmed starters in the shorter formats of the game. With the World Cup looming large, both get an opportunity to impress the selectors. Injury prone Manoj Tiwary makes a comeback into the national squad. His last appearance for India was against Sri Lanka in 2012, but untimely injuries has played a big part in him not being a regular part of the squad. Ambati Rayudu and Stuart Binny, who were part of the team in the ODI series against New Zealand have been retained, but will have to fight for their positions.

While the batting looks impressive, the bowling department looks short on experience. Vinay Kumar gets another chance to get over the horror at 'Bangalore' against Australia last November where he became only the fifth international bowler to concede 100 runs in an ODI match. Umesh Yadav, controversially left out of the England Tests will get a chance to prove the selectors wrong while Mohit Sharma, the purple cap winner in the IPL is another bowler seeking an entry into the main team. It will be the first international experience for young Akshar Patel, and he will link up with Amit Mishra in the spin department.

Bangladesh:

While India have sent a largely experimental squad, the pressure will be truly on Mushfiqur Rahim and his Bangladesh team. Under fire for some poor performances, Bangladesh have had a poor year so far, and even lost to Afghanistan in the Asia Cup before being humbled by Hong Kong in the T20 Cup. There has been structural changes as well. Former Sri Lankan batsman, Chandrika Hathurasinghe replaced Shane Jurgensen as the coach of the national team. Known for his meticulous approach, Hathurasinghe will need to revive a fumbling unit ahead of the 2015 World Cup. Skipper Rahim has been a model of consistency, and Shakib Al Hasan has been in good touch in recent times. Tamim Iqbal is back after a long injury-enforced absence while Nasir Hossain and Mominul Haque have some competitive cricket under their belt, having been part of the 'A' team on the tour to West Indies.

While the batting looks settled, there is plenty of promise in the bowling department - particularly Al Amin Hossain, who impressed the critics with his ability to procure pace and bounce. The selectors have also pinned plenty of hopes on young quickie, Taskin Ahmed. While the pacers look raw, there is plenty of depth and experience in the spin department. After a not too impressive performance in the recent past, Abdur Razzak and Sohag Gazi will look to bounce back in front of their home crowd.

Stats and Trivia:

With 206 ODI wickets, Abdur Razzak is clearly the most successful Bangladeshi bowler. However, his record against India is easily his worst. He has managed just 8 wickets from 11 games, at an unimpressive strike-rate of 69.37.

Suresh Raina will be leading the Indian team for the third time. He has captained India in 9 matches previously, winning 4 matches and losing the remaining 5.

Weather Conditions:

Thunderstorms have been predicted on the Match-day. Wet weather has prevailed over the last couple of days as well.