The casual Indian cricket fan of recent years may not feel the same impact, but for those who were deeply invested in Indian cricket's fortunes over fifteen years ago, the mere mention of Bangladesh evokes haunting memories.

As has been the case since their surprising victory at the 1983 World Cup in England, India entered the 2007 tournament in the Caribbean as strong favourites, and justifiably so. The team boasted a wealth of experience complemented by youthful exuberance. Under the leadership of Rahul Dravid, the squad appeared well-rounded and carried good form into the competition, although Sachin Tendulkar's dissatisfaction with being relegated to the middle order was well-known.

India's campaign was doomed from the outset, beginning with Dravid's decision to bat first in their Group B opener against Bangladesh in Port of Spain. The renowned batting lineup struggled to finda rhythm on a sluggish pitch, which the young and relatively unknown Bangladeshi bowlers exploited effectively, with only Yuvraj Singh displaying any fluency. Sourav Ganguly toiled for 129 balls to score 66 runs, and India's total of 191 was significantly below par. Nevertheless, optimism remained at the interval, bolstered by the perceived strength of the Indian bowling attack.

However, those hopes quickly dissipated as Tamim Iqbal, then just 18 years old, unleashed a remarkable assault on Zaheer Khan and Ajit Agarkar. India was stunned by the boldness and unexpected response from their opponents. They anticipated a collapse from Bangladesh, expecting their inexperience to become evident, but Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan, aged 19 and 20 respectively, both scored half-centuries, leading their team to a historic five-wicket victory. This result left India on the verge of first-round elimination, a fate that was confirmed when the favourites succumbed to Sri Lanka a week later.

That shocking outcome was indeed a surprise, defying all expectations. It did not foreshadow future events, as India has largely dominated the rivalry, winning 32 of the 41 encounters between the two teams.

But that was nearly 2 decades ago

The current Indian cricket team is unlikely to focus on the outcome of the match nearly 18 years ago or their disappointing performance at the T20 World Cup in 2021 at the same venue as they begin their Champions Trophy campaign against Bangladesh in Dubai. In the T20 tournament three and a half years ago, India suffered a ten-wicket defeat to Pakistan in their opening match, marking their only loss to their rivals in World Cup history, and subsequently exited the tournament after a loss to New Zealand a week later. Their experiences in Dubai have not been favourable, as they also failed to reach the final of the T20 Asia Cup in 2022. However, each tournament presents a new opportunity to rectify past mistakes, even if the team’s internal discussions may differ.

Bangladesh has not been a dominant force in One Day Internationals for some time. They finished in eighth place at the last World Cup and narrowly qualified for the Champions Trophy, currently ranking ninth in the ICC team standings. Nevertheless, they have shown the ability to elevate their performance against India, having secured three victories in their last five encounters.

The responsibility for leading India’s efforts at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium will fall on seasoned players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. The captain has an impressive average of 56.14 from 17 ODIs against Bangladesh, including three centuries and three fifties, while Kohli's record is even more remarkable, with 910 runs in 16 innings at an average of 75.83, featuring five centuries and three half-centuries. Following a lacklustre series in Australia, Rohit regained form with a splendid 119 against England ten days ago, while Kohli prepared for the Champions Trophy with a half-century against the same team a week prior. As they potentially participate in their final 50-over global tournament together, they will be keen to avoid the misfortunes that plagued their predecessors in 2007 and their own experiences in 2021, which marked Kohli's last outing as captain in white-ball cricket.

Rohit’s dynamism at the top of the order has been one of the reasons for the big scores India has piled up in the last two years. It has also allowed Kohli to bat at a pace slightly less frenetic than the rest of his colleagues. Not quite fire and ice, but the perfect recipe for India to cook up a storm. A desert storm.

Read Also: On This Day: Brendon McCullum Signs Off with the Fastest Test Century in History

Get the latest Bollywood entertainment news, trending celebrity news, latest celebrity news, new movie reviews, latest entertainment news, latest Bollywood news, and Bollywood celebrity fashion & style updates!