Rain, rain just go away, team India want to play

India’s Virat Kohli leaves after an indoor practice session in rain-hit Adelaide yesterday. Pic/AFP

In the city of churches, it's prayer time as the Super 12s of the T20 World Cup head towards a climax. In a tournament already hit by rain, there is a possibility of more as India face Bangladesh in a crucial Group 2 clash at the Adelaide Oval on Wednesday.

Both teams are identically positioned with four points from three matches, with Bangladesh's net run rate being -1.533, while India are significantly better off at +0.844. However, after the loss to South Africa in Perth India would rather have a full game to reassert their credentials rather than rely on other factors to progress.

India and Bangladesh have a history of thrilling finishes, not least in the T20 World Cup game in Bangalore in 2016 when Mushfiqur Rahim celebrated prematurely after successive fours in the last over from Hardik Pandya, only for India to pull off a stunning one-run win thanks to Mahendra Singh Dhoni's intelligent work off the last ball of the contest. Two years later, Dinesh Karthik smashed Soumya Sarkar over cover for a last-ball six in the final of the Nidahas Trophy in Colombo.

Sarkar should line up for Wednesday's clash, but there are question marks over Karthik's availability after he left the field with back spasms during the South Africa clash. Brought back into the fray for his finishing prowess, Karthik has been at less than his best with the bat and could make way for the outrageously gifted Rishabh Pant, who hasn't quite translated his Test heroics to the shorter formats.

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Among other decisions the Indian think-tank will also need to see if they must bring Axar Patel back into the mix, and what to do with KL Rahul. Axar was left out for Deepak Hooda in deference to three lefties in the South African top five. And though there are left-handers galore in Bangladesh too, the temptation to recall the left-arm spinner will be huge. Rahul meanwhile, is struggling to find any rhythm or fluency. The decision-makers have put their weight behind him and if Karthik isn't in the fray, it will buy the vice-captain some more time but he knows, it's time to start repaying the faith, immediately.