Men In Blue show their mastery of survival in high-pressure skirmishes

India holds its nerve against Bangladesh which has a propensity to punch above its weight in clashes against ‘Big Brother’

Arms flung sideways, running with a tilt, Arshdeep Singh seemed like one of those planes descending into the nearby airport. There was joy coursing through the lanky youngster after his last over sealed the deal for India in a rain-affected, nerve-wracking ICC Twenty20 World Cup match against Bangladesh at the Adelaide Oval here on Wednesday night.

Pitted against its subcontinental big brother, Bangladesh tends to punch above its weight. This trait is more pronounced at ICC events or even in the Asia Cup, like when it scripted a victory in a match where Sachin Tendulkar scored his 100th international ton. Most often India prevails, but there have been the odd banana-peel experience against its eastern neighbour.

Wednesday seemed headed that way especially after Litton Das (60) batted with panache. He found the gaps, took his spots over the in-field and it was breath-taking. A singular innings offering hope while other batting colleagues desert is an old cricketing trope and it was enacted again once the wet skies intervened.

On resumption, momentum had shifted, a fact accentuated by Litton’s run-out effected by K.L. Rahul. The last-named had a remarkable day, scoring a 50 and offering India a piece of fielding brilliance. The vice-captain was a touch unlucky in not being adjudged the Man-of-the-Match, a commendation that went to Virat Kohli (64 n.o.), who seems to be in his element.

Perhaps the knowledge that the gifted Suryakumar Yadav follows him to the crease has bolstered Kohli’s verve. Batters and bowlers not only thrive on self-belief but also from the company they keep on the turf. If in his IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore, Kohli found an ally in AB de Villiers, he has Suryakumar in the blue shade.

What stood out in the contest against Bangladesh was the fielding. A skier is a difficult catch to take, the ball seems to hang in the air for eternity and a fielder underneath can feel extremely lonely. Suryakumar and even Arshdeep did well to hold on to their chances.

High-pressure skirmishes are often the winning preserve of the more experienced side and India proved that. “That break did it, the momentum changed,” Ravi Shastri said after winding up his commentary stint.