ODI World Cup 2023: India vs Bangladesh | What's changed since the India - Bangladesh face-off in 2007 ODI World Cup

2007 was the first time India and Bangladesh played each other in an ODI World Cup. (Illustration by Suneesh)

It was a different India 16 years ago. More importantly, it was a different Indian cricket team going into the ODI World Cup in 2007. Back then, the squad that left Indian shores for the West Indies was ravaged by dissent - to be sure, it still held a lot of promise despite apparent disquiet in the camp. The then head coach Greg Chappell turned out to be a topic of debate during his entire two-year tenure. Chappell’s run-ins with the senior players, especially with the former captain Sourav Ganguly, gave a lot of masala to the fourth estate. This even as the Indian squad was preparing to become world champions again for the first time since 1983.

In 2003, India had come up short against Australia, the marauding world champions. As Team India left for the 2007 campaign, there was a sense of belief that the squad was slightly better than the one that finished runner-up in 2003 in South Africa. But there was something missing in the Indian squad of 2007. Players were constantly looking over each other’s shoulders. There was no sense of unity of approach and everyone was keen to do enough to secure their spots for the next contest. At least that is the sense one got from the sidelines.

Greg Chappell years

Chappell’s presence in the dressing room seemed to have an impact everywhere. You were either for Chappell or against Chappell. We had not seen such a scenario in Indian cricket ever before. Amazingly, even as this was happening, Chappell was filming a documentary which was essentially capturing every moment of his two-year long tenure.

Chappell was not happy with the eventual squad that was chosen for the World Cup. Skipper Rahul Dravid seemed reluctant at the time to weigh in on the issue. But it was clear that Chappell was keen for some younger players, especially Suresh Raina to be chosen. That was not to be. The selectors played it safe and chose a largely experienced line-up very similar to the one that had travelled to South Africa for the 2003 World Cup.

As you reached the West Indies, you could sense that there was something missing in the Indian line-up. The 2003 edition of the World Cup became notable for India because they tried different things to get the side to achieve their goal to become world champion. A sports psychologist Sandy Gordon gave them different exercises which helped them get together for a cause. They made the concept of a huddle famous as they congregated after every wicket fell and after they won a contest. This enabled them to dismiss all their rivals in the 2003 World Cup except, of course, Australia.

For the 2007 World Cup, Chappell had enlisted the services of noted West Indies psychologist Rudi Webster. Now Webster had worked with different world-class cricketers and teams in the past. Webster’s most famous ‘client’ was the great Sir Viv Richards. It is said that on the 1975-76 tour of Australia, Richards faced issues with the terrific pace pairing of Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson. A few sessions with Webster, and Richards’ tide turned in the series.

Everyone hoped for something similar in 2007 for the Indian team, but it was not to be. There seemed to be a certain resistance to everything that Chappell wanted to try. So it was hardly a surprise that there was no unity of purpose in 2007 unlike the 2003 edition.

Super Eight format

Initially there was no inkling of what was to follow, because India did brilliantly well in the warm-up games in the lead-up to the World Cup proper. India thrashed both West Indies and Netherlands in the warm-up games at the newly built facility in Montego Bay in Jamaica.

There was a sense of anticipation, therefore, as they headed to Trinidad and Tobago for their group games on that island. Now Trinidad and Tobago had a special link with India because almost half the population there is of Indian origin. Indian cricket squads over the years have had memorable performances there. They recorded the famous world record chase in 1976 at that very ground. Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar is an adopted son of that island.

Hence when the schedule was announced, there was a sense of hope about the tournament despite the issues within the Indian squad. The International Cricket Council (ICC) came up with a different format for the 2007 tournament. There were four groups of four teams each and only two teams qualified thereafter for the Super Eight stage.

India’s group had Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Bermuda. It was assumed that India would get through without much trouble, alongside Sri Lanka. Everyone almost assumed that India just had a few practice games in the first round.

If everything went well, India was set to play Pakistan at the iconic Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados. Expat fans from all over the world had made their plans and bookings accordingly.

First India-Bangladesh clash in ODI World Cup

In the backdrop of all this, as India and Bangladesh went head-to-head in the Queen’s Park Oval in the Port of Spain, there was a sense of excitement. It was the first time that the two sides would face each other in a World Cup.

Bangladesh was a young side with a clutch of young players like Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan, Mashrafe Mortaza and Mushfiqur Rahim who were hoping to make a mark. Their coach was the iconic Dav Whatmore who had guided Sri Lanka to the 1996 title and the 2003 semifinal.  But despite the positive outlook, Bangladesh was hardly supposed to trouble the mighty Indian side.

In the Indian camp, despite the disquiet, there was a sense of inevitability that they would get the job done against Bangladesh quite easily.

India opted to bat and got off to the worst possible start.  They were reduced to 21 for two and then very soon were 72 for four. They had lost the top-order quite cheaply.

Sachin Tendulkar who started the 2003 World Cup in the middle-order was once again back at number four. This was also a cause of much debate in the fraternity. But what really divided the Indian cricket clan was the knock by Ganguly. Now the former India captain’s place in the World Cup squad was the cause of a major clash in the camp and elsewhere.

Ganguly played a valiant knock of 66 off 129 balls after the side was tottering at 72 for four. His stand with Yuvraj Singh revived the innings. But the pace at which Ganguly batted seemed to divide opinions everywhere. In the dressing room, there was a feeling that he batted too slowly. Even in the media centre opinions were sharply divided. For once you got the feeling of being caught in the crossfire of Us vs Them. This had never been the case before or after, especially in the media centre.

India’s innings had a disappointing finish as they made just 191. Mortaza, Abdur Razzaq and Mohammad Rafique completely dismantled the Indian innings.

Young, and hungry

Yet when Bangladesh came to bat, there was a sense of hope as India had the superior bowling attack or at least we thought so. But no one had been prepared for the young lot of Bangladesh led by Tamim Iqbal, Rahim and Shakib. They presented a new face of Bangladesh. They were young, exciting and more importantly hungry. They stunned India with their refreshing approach. In particular the effort left India deflated like never before.

When Rahil hit the final winning runs, there was a loud cry of joy that could be heard all around the ground. The Indian camp, their supporters and many others around the world were left stunned.

India’s campaign started on the worst possible note and from there on they needed two very good days to make it to the Super Eight. Elsewhere, news came in that Ireland had stunned Pakistan on the same day. This was the worst possible news for the World Cup as this was Pakistan’s second loss and had almost put paid to their hopes to make it to the next round.

The grand India v Pakistan clash in Barbados was now only a pipe dream. As things turned out, India lost to Sri Lanka and the dream became a nightmare for everyone - including the fans and players. What could have been an India v Pakistan clash turned out to be a battle between Bangladesh and Ireland - quite an anti-climax for many.

Sixteen years on, Bangladesh will be hoping to turn another Indian dream into a nightmare, this time in Pune. Their heroes from that day in 2007 are still around, including Rahim and Shakib. The other hero Tamim is back in Dhaka after having a tiff with Shakib. Remember the Indian captain of 2007 is now the head coach and that is the only visible link with that day.

Thankfully, unlike in 2007, there are no reports of disquiet in the Indian camp. So hopefully that result is not repeated in Pune on Thursday. But then who knows.