BAN vs IND: 5 Indians to watch out for in ODI series

India are all set to challenge Bangladesh for a multi-format tour on the latter’s turf. The Men in Blue will kickstart their campaign with ODIs on December 4 and the action will move to the longest format of the game from December 14. 

For the white-ball assignment, India have selected a well-rounded squad with a nice blend of youth and experience. The senior trio of Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, and Virat Kohli will don the India jersey for the first time since the semi-final loss to England at the T20 World Cup 2022. 

With the 50-overs World Cup scheduled next year, there are some players who will be looking to set the stage ablaze with their performances and make a case for their selection in the national team. Also, certain star players would take the upcoming series as an opportunity to get back into the groove.

Here are the 5 Indian players to watch out for in the ODI series against Bangladesh:

5. Axar Patel 

Axar Patel has been India’s go-to man to fill the spin-bowling all-rounder void whenever Ravindra Jadeja has been unavailable. As Jadeja was sidelined from the T20 World Cup 2022 due to a knee injury, the team management slotted in Axar in his place. However, he was all at sea in the T20 carnival in Australia. 

The Gujarat-born featured in five matches at the global tournament and could manage only three wickets conceding runs at an economy of 8.62. He failed to have an impact with the bat as well and scored mere nine runs in those outings. Axar has been picked for the ODI series against Bangladesh and he will have a chance to revive his all-round credentials in limited-overs cricket. 

Axar has been quite sensational in the 50-over format. He has bagged 53 scalps in 44 games at an economy of 4.40 and also scored 273 runs at a strike rate of 106.22. Also, in his last ODI series which was against Zimbabwe, the ace all-rounder was phenomenal with the ball picking six wickets in three games at an economy of 3.02. The left-arm spinner would hope he carries on the good work in this format. However, if he fails to do so, his place in the team could be in jeopardy.