After acing the Pakistan Test, Bangladesh gears up for the India challenge

Takeoff time: India and Jurel will look to make a flying start against Bangladesh in the new Test season opener.
| Photo Credit: RAGU R

Bangladesh has had a tough last few months, dealing with internal political turmoil followed by floods that affected the daily lives of scores of its citizens.

Even as things were on the boil at home, the cricket team pulled off a stunning upset away in Pakistan, sweeping the two-Test series 2-0 recently, bringing some succour to the embattled nation.

Fresh from the historic series win, Najmul Hossain Shanto’s men embark on their next big challenge, searching for their first Test victory against India. The two-match series, though, will be a much more daunting task.

It will be a true test of how far the outfit has come in the longest format, for India has lost just four Tests in its backyard in the last decade.

The visitors have a balanced squad to give India a run for its money as compared to their visit four years ago. Key batters like Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das and all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz starred in the triumph over Pakistan. Litton and Miraz’s tenacity — they rescued the side from 26 for six with a 165-run stand in the second Test — should give the squad confidence.

On the bowling front, Bangladesh will feel it has the right mix of pace and spin to counter Rohit Sharma’s men on any type of surface. In the second Test against Pakistan, the pace trio of Taskin Ahmed, Nahid Rana and Hasan Mahmud took all 10 wickets in the second essay while off-spinner Miraz finished with a series-high 10 scalps.

Prior to its journey to India, the team had a camp in Mirpur. The Tigers slogged out in the hot sun for over three hours during their first practice session at the MAC Stadium on Monday. Skipper Shanto and opener Zakir Hasan were among the first to have long batting sessions against pace and spin. All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who was playing for Surrey, is expected to join the squad on Tuesday.

In the morning, India had its third training session in four days. With the match expected to be played on a red-soil pitch, the home team trained on a track of similar nature which offered good bounce and carry for the pacers. The batters fine-tuned their sweeps and reverse sweeps. While Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and K.L. Rahul looked in fine touch, opener Yashasvi Jaiswal played and missed while facing the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep.

In 2019, India had laid out seamer-friendly strips in Indore and Kolkata (day-night Test), where the quicks took 33 out of the 40 wickets and the host recorded innings wins. That strategy could be employed again.