Three key battles to look out for as India clash with Bangladesh

The Blue Tigers were held to a 1-1 draw when the two teams met in the reverse fixture.

The Indian national team will be eager to settle scores against Bangladesh when they face them for the second time in the FIFA World Cup 2022 Qualifiers. The last encounter between the two sides ended in a 1-1 draw. So, India will be wary of Bangladesh's counter-attacking threat. With 2023 AFC Asian Cup qualification at stake, the Blue Tigers will be eager to finish on a high.

Despite their 0-1 defeat against Qatar, the Blue Tigers earned a few plaudits for their great defensive show. However, their real test will be against Bangladesh and Afghanistan, two matches which India are expected to win to at least finish third in the group.

Whenever India play Bangladesh, there is a sense of rivalry as both sides look to impose themselves on the fixture. There will be mini duels all over the pitch and the team winning them will have the upper hand.

3. Glan Martins Vs Jamal Bhuyan

This midfield battle can settle a lot of factors in this game. It will be exciting to see two energetic midfielders going up against each other. Glan, who made his India debut recently, has proven his credentials against top Asian teams. Whereas, Jamal Bhuyan has been the fulcrum of this Bangladesh side.

Apart from his exceptional passing and vision, he brings a lot of experience and leadership to this roster. Bhuyan will be looking to pull the strings from midfield for his forwards. Meanwhile, Glan will be tasked to break up play and starve the Mohammedan SC midfielder of possession. It will be a battle for midfield supremacy.

2. Rahmat Mia Vs Sunil Chhetri

In all likelihood, Sunil Chhetri will be deployed on the left flank for India in the match against Bangladesh, allowing Manvir to play upfront. Over the years, Chhetri has developed into a player who is always looking out for others in the final third. It is his street-smart nature and technical ability that allows him to get in behind the opposition defence and find the target consistently.

The Indian skipper will be given the license to roam around freely, as he will look to play off Manvir and get into pockets of space in the final third.

The Bangladeshis simply cannot allow Chhetri any space in the final third. They will hope that Rahmat Mia, who is a rising talent will be able to stop the 36-year-old in his stride. The Saif Sporting full-back is equally adept with both feet and can play on either side of the defence. However, this will most probably be the toughest challenge in his short senior career, as he will look to keep Chhetri quiet throughout the match.

1. Motin Mia Vs Sandesh Jhingan

Jamie Day does not have many options upfront, hence he is bound to deploy Motin Mia as a striker. The 31-year-old who plies his trade for Bashundhara Kings is predominantly a right winger. Motin's versatility is a key factor in his game and therefore he has taken up the mantle of leading the line for Bangladesh.

However, he has only scored twice in his eight appearances and both goals have come against Sri Lanka in an international friendly. So, goalscoring is still a major concern for head coach Jamie Day.

While Motin will look to use his pace and experience to get in behind the Indian defence, he will be under the watchful eyes of the resilient Sandesh Jhingan. The ATK Mohun Bagan centre-back is in sublime form. He kept Almoez Ali at bay in India's last match against Qatar. However, there is hardly any reason to get over-excited as India conceded a very cheap goal in the home fixture against Bangladesh and Jhingan will be eager to rectify that mistake. 

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