Hosts Bangladesh will be looking to start afresh in the new international cricket season when they take on Zimbabwe today in the first of three Test matches at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.
The three-match Test series is likely to provide the home side an added incentive to do well as a series win will elevate the Tigers to ninth place in the Test rankings, pushing Zimbabwe down to the bottom.
The Test series will be an intense battle. Indeed, for Zimbabwe to lose to Bangladesh would be as much damaging as it would be for Bangladesh to lose to Zimbabwe at their own backyard.
If the expectations of home fans were not enough, Bangladesh will also have to contend with the pressure of being winless in Tests and ODIs in 2014. The most frustrating time the Bangladesh team have gone through in the last 10 months was between June and September. Within this duration, the national side lost to a second-string India in three ODIs in Dhaka among which includes Bangladesh being bundled out for a shambolic 58 in the second game. The misery was compounded when ace all-rounder Shakib al Hasan was suspended for almost three months due to his indiscretions. To make things worse, both batting and bowling were a letdown in the recent tour of the West Indies.
Bangladesh Test skipper Mushfiqur Rahim informed that he will count on his spin attack – Shakib leading the way alongside rookie leg-spinner Jubair Hossain and Taijul Islam, still a fresh name in the circuit. In the batting department, the wicketkeeper-batsman will have to take up the leading role. Senior players like Shakib, opener Tamim Iqbal and Mahmudullah will also have to play responsibly.
Zimbabwe on the other hand will look to improve their recent run of form. After returning to the Test arena in 2011 following six years of self-imposed exile, Zimbabwe have taken part in three overseas bilateral series and are yet to win a single game.
A good number of senior players from the Zimbabwe side have spent some quality time in Bangladesh playing in the domestic leagues and skipper Brendan Taylor stated that they will try to utilise their experience. Taylor, Elton Chigumbura, Vusi Sibanda, Hamilton Masakadza and Sean Williams have taken part in the Bangladesh Premier League and the Dhaka Premier League at different times.