#INDvBAN | India stifled by Bangladeshi bowlers as batsmen manage to post 146 on the board

As soon as Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Mortaza won the toss and elected to bowl first, the crowd gathered at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore slowly started anticipating a massive first innings total from the Indian cricket team.

All eyes were on one particular batsman in the Indian team - Virat Kohli. Kohli, who plays for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League is a crowd puller, and the jam packed stadium was surely expecting fireworks from him.

But they only got that in limited quantity, after the Indian batting line up failed to take the opportunity to post a massive total in the first innings. The Bangladeshi bowlers clearly had a plan coming in to bowl, and they executed it perfectly as the Indian batsmen found it hard to pierce the field at will like they usually do.

Although India got off to a good start courtesy openers Shikhar Dhawan and Yuvraj Singh, they were both dismissed within a quick span of time to leave two completely new batsmen on the crease in Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina.

Kohli and Raina stuck around till the 14th over to stitch together a neat partnership, but just as Kohli tried to increase the scoring rate by trying to launch a ball from Shuvagato Hom for a second six in a row, the ball broke his defences and crashed into the stumps.

The Bangalore crowd was disappointed, but Hardik Pandya walked in to loud cheers. He did not disappoint as he hit Hom for a six on only the second ball he faced. However, the moment of the innings came in the next over when Saumya Sarkar pulled off a stunning catch at deep square leg to send Pandya back to the pavilion.

Yuvraj Singh walked in next, but he was back in the dressing room soon after he lost his wicket trying to increase the scoring rate, after being stifled by the Bangladeshi bowlers.

The Indians were unable to stitch together a partnership towards the end, and only reached the total that they did thanks to some late fireworks by captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

If there was ever a match where the Indian bowlers had to find some form, it is this one. With India's chances of reaching the semi-finals at stake, the Bangalore crowd can expect maximum dedication from the players in the second innings. The only hope is that the bowling wouldn't be as disappointing as the batting was.