Sports Desk: After a successful One-Day International (ODI) series, which they won 2-1, Bangladesh have now shifted their focus to the forthcoming two-match Test series against India.
The first Test will begin on 14 December at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram while the second and final Test will start at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka from 22 December.
Despite the recent series win in the 50-over format against India, the outlook ahead of the Test series is not too great for the Tigers.
Bangladesh’s vulnerability in the longest format of the game is well known and to make matters worse, most of their Test specialist batters are out of form against the red ball.
This weakness was widely exposed in Bangladesh A team’s recent four-day series at home against India A. 10 Test players from Bangladesh were part of the A team, but none of them could play an innings worth of note and the hosts also lost the series 0-1.
Zakir Hasan was the only exception in the Bangladesh A team as it was his magnificent 173 that salvaged a draw for the hosts.
That innings earned Zakir a spot in the Test squad against India. However, it is to be seen if he gets the chance to make his Test debut against India.
Earlier in the ODI series, the batsman Mehidy Hasan Miraz came of age as it was his unbeaten 38 in the first match and maiden ODI century in the second ODI that helped Bangladesh take an unassailable lead in the ODI series.
However, India hit back in style with a staggering win over Bangladesh in the third ODI.
After posting 409-8, the highest ever total in ODIs in Bangladesh, thanks to Ishan Kishan’s record-breaking 210 and Virat Kohli’s century, they shot Bangladesh out for 182 to win the match by 227 runs.
India will be without captain Rohit Sharma, who sustained a thumb injury in the second ODI, and star pacer Mohammad Shami in the first Test.
In his absence, KL Rahul will step up as India captain.
The hosts will also be without their highest run-getter in the format, Tamim Iqbal, due to a groin injury.
Bangladesh are yet to win a Test against India, with nine defeats in 11 Tests and two draws in rain-hit games.
Squad
Bangladesh: Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mominul Haque, Yasir Ali, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Shakib Al Hasan (c), Liton Das (wk), Nurul Hasan (wk), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Khaled Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain, Shoriful Islam, Zakir Hasan, Rejaur Rahman, Anamul Haque
India: KL Rahul (c), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (wk), KS Bharat (wk), R Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Navdeep Saini, Saurabh Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat
