Claiming that the Indian team has identified the reason for their disappointing performance in the first One-Day International against Bangladesh, opener Rohit Sharma called on the fast bowlers to take early wickets and put pressure on the opposition, in the must-win second match in Mirpur, Dhaka, on Sunday.
After conceding 307 runs in the first ODI, the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led side were bowled out for 228 and need to win the next match to stay alive in the three-match series.
Rohit, who top-scored with a well-made 63 in the 79-run loss on Thursday, feels the bowlers should strike early.
"The wicket looks quite similar to the first game, generally the wicket here tends to play similar throughout. Tactically, we need to understand where we lacked in the first game. It's always important to take wickets up front that is something, which we will be focussing on. To get early wickets. It always builds pressure when you take early wickets that were missing in the first game," Rohit said on Saturday, on the eve of the match.
"Their batsmen kept going after our bowlers. We need to get wickets early in the game, which puts a brake on momentum and slows the run-rate. We have quality bowlers and hopefully they can do better tomorrow," he added.
The much fancied India did cave in against the hosts, but Rohit insists the Men in Blue will come back with better planning in the next game.
"From our point of view, it's very important that we stick to our gameplan. We knew what went wrong in the first match. We will think about it and when we comeback and play the second ODI. It will be a different Indian side obviously we were trying our best in the first game as well but things didn't work out.
"We have got certain plans coming their way hopefully we will try and execute those plans and things will work in our favour then," said the Mumbai batsman.
With lack of partnerships and batsmen getting out to irresponsible strokes, India were guilty of self-destruction after going down post a 95-run opening stand. But Rohit brushes off the failure to chase the 300 plus score as a one-off instance.
"Now, if you look at the history India is the only team that has chased more than 300 many times. India is ranked number 1, when it comes to chasing 300-plus totals. I don't see why we can't chase 300. It was one of those incidents where we kept losing wickets in the middle," he said.
"When you are chasing big scores you need wickets in hand and need that momentum. We didn't get that momentum which is why we lost by 70 to 80 runs. It's always important to build partnerships, we couldn't do that," he added.
Going into the game with a must-win scenario does take a lot out of a unit, but Rohit denies the presence of pressure in the Indian dressing room.
"There's no pressure, we just need to come and play the way we have been playing. We just have to get our basics right and be a little more aggressive. This is the same Indian team that played in the World Cup so I don't see any reason why we cannot change the results in our favour," said Rohit.
The Indian bowlers might have missed a trick or two in allowing Bangladesh to get over 300 runs before debutant medium pacer Mustafizur Rahman bagged a five-wicket haul to help the hosts post a convincing win.
Rohit failed to remember the left-arm pacer's name at the presser but not his efforts on the field.
"No I think you know the guy the left-arm seamer bowled really well he was making full use of the conditions. The conditions worked in his favour. And not to forget that we played some stupid shots in the middle as well. But yeah, you got to give credit to them they bowled according to the plan, really well," said Rohit.
"Obviously the pressure is always with the opposition when you chase 300. Once we lost a couple of wickets they built the pressure really well and bowled according to the field. So credit to them," he added.
Not taking Bangladesh lightly, especially after the hammering in the first ODI, Rohit said that they always treated the hosts with respect.
"Every opponent you play you have to treat similarly, its an opposition you need to beat them. You have to earn the victory, any opponent you play you need to be at your best. Bangladesh is no different, its an opponent for us, when we came here, we spoke about how we want to play and how aggressively we have to go against them," he said.
