Shanto criticizes batters for defeat against India

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto pointed to poor batting as the main reason for their crushing defeat in the opening match of the three-match T20I series against India in Gwalior on Sunday.

On what was a decent batting pitch, Bangladesh managed to post only 127 runs before being bowled out in 19.5 overs, which India chased down comfortably with 49 balls remaining.

"The batting unit didn't do well today," Shanto said in the post-match press conference. "We need aggression in our scoring approach, but it's equally important to select the right deliveries to attack. We will reflect on this, but we shouldn't rush into changing our approach."

Most of the batters got out playing loose shots, though Shanto refrained from singling out any player. As captain, Shanto himself struggled to play the aggressive role expected of him. Mehidy Hasan Miraz top-scored with 35 not out off 32 balls but was unable to maintain a quick scoring rate, particularly in the latter part of the innings.

While Indian bowlers were disciplined, Miraz, expected to fill the void left by Shakib Al Hasan, struggled to capitalize even on poor deliveries and failed to innovate to keep the scoreboard ticking with singles.

Shanto insisted that the team's performance does not reflect their true capabilities. "I wouldn't say we played badly. We are a better team than this. We haven't been consistent in this format for a while, but I don't believe we are that weak," he said, acknowledging the need to improve their powerplay batting ahead of the second game in Delhi on Wednesday.

Bangladesh managed only 39 runs in the first six overs after being asked to bat, whereas India scored 71 runs during the same phase.

"Our powerplay performance is definitely a concern," Shanto remarked. "We have struggled in the powerplay, and those batting during that phase must take on more responsibility."

He emphasized the need for a strong start, saying, "The approach we talked about before the game will work if we start well with the bat."

Shanto also admitted the skill gap between the two sides. "No doubt, they (India) are highly skilled. We have potential, but there's still room for us to improve our skills."

He further stressed the importance of regularly aiming for a total of 180 runs in the T20 format. "We play on 140-150-run wickets at home. Our batters need to learn how to score 180 runs. I won't solely blame the wickets, but we need to consider our skills and mindset," Shanto concluded.