World Twenty20 2016: Suresh Raina needs to step up in crucial phase for India

New Delhi: A lot of focus will be on India cricket team's middle order batsman Suresh Raina when the side takes on Bangladesh in the ongoing ICC World twenty20.

India will take on neighbours Bangladesh in Bengaluru in an intense Super 10, Group 2 match.

It's a crucial phase for India after two games in the tournament and they need to win the remaining two to qualify for the semis alongside New Zealand.

This is where top quality players like Raina needs to come in the scneario and make the difference, especially when the opening batsmen have not quite hit the mark in the tourney.

Raina has excelled throughout his T20I career and as skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni rightly pointed out that the former is the best batsman for the No. 4 position.

With India not quite convincing with the bat at home conditions, Raina has failed to live up to his T20I standards. Raina's time at the crease so far in the World T20 has lasted very less.

Against New Zealand he managed one run and that was followed by a nought against Pakistan. Raina, who had made a return to the Indian side in the T20I series against Australia earlier this year, played a good hand back Down Under. But since then he has struggled of late.

India seems to depend a lot in Virat Kohli upfront and the experience of Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni in the middle order. Raina will hope to spend some time in the middle and get some confidence back.

India need an in-form Raina when they take on Australia next, which could be a do-or-die scenario for the hosts. It is likely that Dhoni will opt for an unchanged team against Bangladesh on Wednesday.

India have Ajinkya Rahane on the bench and he could be a vital option against Australia if Shikhar Dhawan or Raina falters once again. 

Raina has the overall average of 29.82 in T20 internationals.