Dubai, Feb 20 (Reporter) Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bat against India in their opening encounter of the Champions Trophy here on Thursday, as India's toss woes continued with their 11th consecutive loss in ODIs, a record they now share with the Netherlands. India captain Rohit Sharma admitted he would have preferred to bowl first, citing the conditions under lights. "We have played here a few years back, and we felt the ball comes on better under lights. All looking good. Everyone is fit and fine to go. Let's hope we start well. There is no looking back, every game becomes very important in this tournament. Only Varun Chakravarthy misses out from the last ODI we played, Ravindra Jadeja comes back, and Arshdeep Singh misses out while Mohammad Shami returns," Rohit stated. Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto expressed confidence in his side's decision. "We would like to bat first. It looks like a good wicket, so we want to put runs on the board. We have to play good cricket today, and the boys are confident. We are going in with three spinners and two pacers," he said. The pitch report by Mel Jones and Nasser Hussain indicated a fresh but dry surface, which might wear down as the game progresses. "It is very bare. Because of the Women's T20 World Cup and the ILT20, it can look like a tired square. But this one looks fine. It might get a bit dry towards the end. Speaking to the groundsman, he says they've had no dew this year. Win the toss and bat," they observed. With conditions expected to favour spinners, Bangladesh have packed their squad with slow bowlers, a move that has raised some eyebrows. Meanwhile, India’s batting unit, led by Rohit, Gill, and Virat Kohli, will be looking to counter the challenge posed by Bangladesh’s attack. As the Champions Trophy kicks off, India, who have a strong history in the tournament with a title win in 2013 and final appearances in 2000, 2002 (joint winners), and 2017, will aim for another deep run. The match promises an intriguing battle as both sides look to begin their campaign on a winning note...////...