Bangladesh may not be among the strongest sides in the Test arena, but their ability has certainly grown in the past decade and the country’s Test skipper Mushfiqur Rahim is keen to display their recent improvement against India.
This is the fifth time India arrived in Bangladesh for a Test. Previously they played seven Tests, not more than two in a series, with the men in blue winning six times. Citing financial losses, India have never invited Bangladesh for a bilateral series which is also the reason why the Tigers remain upbeat every time they play the two-time world champions.
The last meeting between the sides were in 2010 where Bangladesh lost by 10 wickets. Mushfiq, during the pre-match media session yesterday, expressed his respect for their opponent but also kept his team level as he expects an intense battle. The captain emphasised on their achievements since then and believes they are a better unit in the whites at present.
“India is a very good side compared to us, but I still think it is a 50-50 (chance) game given the good form Bangladesh is in. They have got quality spinners. If our batsmen can handle them, I think this will be an exciting game,” said Mushfiq.
He added, “We may have lost both Tests five years ago, but there were some strong individual performances by us. We have improved, both individually and as a team. We are confident that we can give a tough fight.
“But we have to be more consistent. We play well for two days, but let ourselves down over the next three days. We must now play session by session and ensure we win maximum sessions.”
There is a great chance that Mushfiq will not keep wickets in the game as he is still recovering from a finger injury sustained during the Pakistan series last month. The 26-year old said he will wait till the toss before deciding whether he will play as a specialist batsman and hand over the glove-work to uncapped Liton Kumar.