3 Bangladesh players India need to be wary of ahead of 2025 Champions Trophy clash ft. Mushfiqur Rahim

India take on Bangladesh in their first match of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Thursday, February 20. The Men in Blue come into this tournament on the back of a fine run, beating England 3-0 in a home series, and are serious contenders for the title they relinquished in 2017.

Bangladesh, meanwhile, appear largely undercooked as they last played an ODI in December 2024, against the West Indies in the Caribbean, in conditions quite different to what they would expect here in Asia. However, the Bangla Tigers, led by Najmul Hossain Shanto, remain an unpredictable force whom India cannot take lightly.

In this listicle, we take a look at three Bangladesh players India need to be wary of ahead of their clash:

#3 Mustafizur Rahman

One of the reasons why India will have to be wary of Mustafizur Rahman is because he has played a lot of his cricket in the country due to the IPL, and hence, knows the Men in Blue inside out. One of the vital cogs of the Sunrisers Hyderabad wheel in their 2016 IPL triumph under David Warner's leadership, Rahman has metamorphosed into one of the best death bowlers in the world.

The left-arm pacer has a lot of varieties up his sleeve, especially the slower delivery and inswinging yorker. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli both have the tendency to play around their pads to balls coming in from left-arm pacers, and will therefore have to be careful of Rahman's angles with the new ball. Although he has played just 12 matches against India, he has already picked up 25 wickets, which is his second-highest against any opponent behind the West Indies.

The first match Rahman played against India, in Dhaka in 2015, yielded him figures of 5-50. His highest of 6-43, came in the immediate next match at the same venue, with the Indian batters failing to read his variations well. Although he went wicketless in their last encounter in the 2023 ODI World Cup, Rahman returned with 5-59 when the two teams met at Edgbaston in the 2019 ODI World Cup.

#2 Mehidy Hasan Miraz

The newly appointed vice-captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz is one of the finest players of Bangladesh in this generation, and he will prove to be a thorn in India's flesh with both the bat and the ball in hand. Although he began his career primarily as an off-spinner, he has improved himself tremendously with the bat as well.

Miraz has scored 1,599 runs in ODIs already, with two centuries and six half-centuries to his name. With the ball, he is highly effective in the middle overs, and has 110 wickets to his name in the 103 matches he has played so far. Although he is yet to pick up a five-wicket haul in his career, Miraz poses a big threat.

The all-rounder is known for his accuracy with the ball and ability to stifle the opposition's run-making options whenever he is given the opportunity to do so by skipper Shanto. This time around, with the option of chipping in with leadership, Miraz will be a completely different beast altogether.

#1 Mushfiqur Rahim

Despite his years (37), Mushfiqur Rahim is a player whom India cannot afford to take lightly. The diminutive wicketkeeper-batter, who has been around since 2005, is known to make good use of his experience and guide his team, especially during times of distress. Rahim's vast wealth of knowledge on handling pressure also comes in handy during run-chases.

Rahim averages a healthy 31 against India in ODIs, with his highest of 117 coming in Fatullah in 2014. India will remember the 67 he scored against them at Edgbaston in the 2017 Champions Trophy semifinal as well as the unbeaten 56 he reeled off in his first encounter against them in the 2007 ODI World Cup, and prepare accordingly.