“We have some talented bowlers, batsman and all-rounders in the side now, which is important for a Test team. We also have a good bunch of experienced cricketers. I believe it is the right time to play Test against a team like Australia. We need make sure that we all are fit before the series and have a good start in the game,” the Bangladesh Test captain added.Mushfiqur however has agreed the shortage of pace bowling impact in Test cricket and has requested to be give some times to settle itself. “We have now started playing some good number of ODIs in a season but not Tests. The gap between Test series is such that we have to go to the field with different bowling combination every time. This makes work for a new one tough. “We can expect good result if we can play with the current bowling line-up for next one or two years. We need some time for this department to establish. But we have variation in the unit. There is Mustafizur (Rahman), Taskin (Ahmed), Taijul (Islam) and Miraz, Shakib, Rubel (Hossain), Shafiul (Islam), Subhashish. I believe we do have the talent to take 20 opposition wickets,” Mushfiqur explained. The preliminary Bangladesh squads for the two-match Test series against Australia is currently having conditional camp in Chittagong and are to play two three-day practice matches. Australia scheduled to reach Dhaka on August 18. It is understood that national selection panel has already submitted a draft squad for the first Test set to begin at Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium from August 27. The second Test will be played at Chittagong from September 4. Australia are to play one three-day tour match but the venue for the game is yet undecided. The Bangladesh Cricket Board had thought BKSP as the alternative venue replacing Fatullah’s Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium. However it is understood that BKSP has marked with logistical complication and now the board is looking into other options including Sylhet stadium.
Bangladesh Test captain Mushfiqur Rahim credited the side’s maturity to make use of the home advantage as key to the steady success in longer formats.
Although Bangladesh cricket did not have a drastic rise in Test cricket compared to the success in one-day international. The Tigers’ past few years in ODIs have been eye-catching as the latest example is to qualifying to semifinal stage in the eight-nation ICC Champions Trophy ended in July this year. But comparatively, rise in the longest version of the game has been slow.
But the last Test series, against England at home last year was phenomenon. Bangladesh was very close to win the first Test in Chittagong and finally nailed a win in the second and the final Test in Dhaka and ended the series level.
“Of course we want a spin track for the upcoming series. The wicket at home always helped us but we were not able to make the best off it. But that has improved in last two-to-three years. We now believe to turn the game our way not only against Australia but against any team,” said Mushfiqur to the media in sidelines of practice session at Chittagong’s Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium yesterday.
