<p>The Indian cricket team will get an opportunity to test its bench strength when its fringe players led by Suresh Raina square off against Bangladesh in a short three-match ODI series starting here on Saturday.<br /><br />The decision by the BCCI to rest seven key players including skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, his deputy Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja provides the likes of Robin Uthappa, Manoj Tiwary, Parvez Rasool and Akshar Patel a chance to showcase their skills against a Bangladesh side led by Mushfiqur Rahim.<br /><br />However, the absence of Dhoni and Co has definitely taken the sheen off the series which incidentally has also coincided with the FIFA World Cup making it even more inconsequential from a viewers’ perspective.</p>.<p>Such has been the lack of interest, that none of the top Indian broadcasters committed to air the series live in India till the last minute.<br /><br />The stakes will, however, be high for the Indian reserves, most of whom would see this opportunity as God-send.<br /><br />With barely eight months left for the 50-over World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, a few places are still up for grabs which will keep some of the members of this team interested.<br /><br />For Raina, who had another good IPL, it will be a comeback of sorts having been dropped from the ODI squad during Asia Cup. <br /><br />He would be itching to get into the thick of things with some substantial knocks.<br /><br />The centre of attention will be Karnataka batsman Robin Uthappa making a comeback into the side after six years in the wake of a stupendous IPL, where he won the coveted ‘Orange Cap’ by virtue of being the highest run-getter.<br /><br />A couple of good scores will certainly put Shikhar Dhawan under pressure before the selectors announce the ODI squad for England in August.<br /><br />It will be a three-way tussle between Manoj Tiwary, Kedar Jadhav and Ambati Rayudu for the two slots in the middle-order as wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha is certain to take the No 7 slot.<br /><br />The two pace-bowling slots will go to Umesh Yadav and Mohit Sharma as the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium wicket will warrant playing two spinners.<br /><br />Senior leg-spinner Amit Mishra will be keen to prove the selectors wrong. The second spinner’s slot will be a toss-up between Akshar Patel and Jammu and Kashmir’s Rasool.<br /><br />Teams (from): India: Suresh Raina (captain), Robin Uthappa, Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, Manoj Tiwary, Kedar Jadhav, Ambati Rayudu, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Akshar Patel, Amit Mishra, Mohit Sharma, Umesh R Vinay Kumar, Parveez Rasool, Stuart Binny.<br /><br />Bangladesh: Mushfiqur Rahim (capt), Tamim Iqbal, Anamul Haque, Shamsur Rahman, Mominul Haque, Shakib Al Hasan, Nasir Hossain, Mahmudullah, Mithun Ali, Abdur Razzak, Masrafe Mortaza, Shohag Gazi, Ziaur Rahman, Al-Amin Hossain, Taskin Ahmed.</p>
<p>The Indian cricket team will get an opportunity to test its bench strength when its fringe players led by Suresh Raina square off against Bangladesh in a short three-match ODI series starting here on Saturday.<br /><br />The decision by the BCCI to rest seven key players including skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, his deputy Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja provides the likes of Robin Uthappa, Manoj Tiwary, Parvez Rasool and Akshar Patel a chance to showcase their skills against a Bangladesh side led by Mushfiqur Rahim.<br /><br />However, the absence of Dhoni and Co has definitely taken the sheen off the series which incidentally has also coincided with the FIFA World Cup making it even more inconsequential from a viewers’ perspective.</p>.<p>Such has been the lack of interest, that none of the top Indian broadcasters committed to air the series live in India till the last minute.<br /><br />The stakes will, however, be high for the Indian reserves, most of whom would see this opportunity as God-send.<br /><br />With barely eight months left for the 50-over World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, a few places are still up for grabs which will keep some of the members of this team interested.<br /><br />For Raina, who had another good IPL, it will be a comeback of sorts having been dropped from the ODI squad during Asia Cup. <br /><br />He would be itching to get into the thick of things with some substantial knocks.<br /><br />The centre of attention will be Karnataka batsman Robin Uthappa making a comeback into the side after six years in the wake of a stupendous IPL, where he won the coveted ‘Orange Cap’ by virtue of being the highest run-getter.<br /><br />A couple of good scores will certainly put Shikhar Dhawan under pressure before the selectors announce the ODI squad for England in August.<br /><br />It will be a three-way tussle between Manoj Tiwary, Kedar Jadhav and Ambati Rayudu for the two slots in the middle-order as wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha is certain to take the No 7 slot.<br /><br />The two pace-bowling slots will go to Umesh Yadav and Mohit Sharma as the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium wicket will warrant playing two spinners.<br /><br />Senior leg-spinner Amit Mishra will be keen to prove the selectors wrong. The second spinner’s slot will be a toss-up between Akshar Patel and Jammu and Kashmir’s Rasool.<br /><br />Teams (from): India: Suresh Raina (captain), Robin Uthappa, Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, Manoj Tiwary, Kedar Jadhav, Ambati Rayudu, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Akshar Patel, Amit Mishra, Mohit Sharma, Umesh R Vinay Kumar, Parveez Rasool, Stuart Binny.<br /><br />Bangladesh: Mushfiqur Rahim (capt), Tamim Iqbal, Anamul Haque, Shamsur Rahman, Mominul Haque, Shakib Al Hasan, Nasir Hossain, Mahmudullah, Mithun Ali, Abdur Razzak, Masrafe Mortaza, Shohag Gazi, Ziaur Rahman, Al-Amin Hossain, Taskin Ahmed.</p>