CHATTOGRAM, Feb 2, 2021 (BSS)- Buoyed by the prolonged dominance at home
condition, Bangladesh is looking forward to piling a host of misery on West
Indies when they take on the Caribbean side in the first of two-match Test
series tomorrow (Wednesday) at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium here.
The match, which starts at 9.30 am, will be aired live at private
television channel T Sports and Nagorik TV.
The hosts oozed with confidence despite the fact that they didn’t play any
Test cricket since February 2020 due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
Following their return to ODI cricket in the pandemic time by creating a
bio-bubble, they are now on course of a Test comeback.
And Bangladesh looks desperate to make their return to Test cricket after
almost a year a memorable one like the three-match ODI series in which they
whitewashed the visitors with ease and extended their winning streak to eight
in that format.
Bangladesh simply wants to translate their ODI dominance in the Test format
too, despite knowing that the West Indies side is bolstered with more
experienced campaigners in their Test squad.
Even though some of the first choice players including Test captain Jason
Holder skipped Test series too, their squad in cricket’s elite format at
least is not filled with rookie players like the ODI squad.
But the Tigers have the psychological upper-hand still, considering the
fact that they whitewashed a full strength West Indies Test side in 2018 at
home den.
The only thing that for the time being kept Bangladesh worried that they
are going to play Test cricket after a long hiatus.
“It is a challenge to not play a Test match for nearly a year,” Bangladesh
head coach Russell Domingo said.
“Different type of fitness needed for the bowlers. The batters have to bat
for long period of time, so it will be a challenge. But we are pretty
confident because we have trained really well. Our preparations have been
spot-on. Players have been really keen to get back into Tests. It is a format
that we want to improve on, and it is the time when we want to play the sort
of cricket we want to play,” he said.
Bangladesh so far played 119 Tests, won just 14 and lost a staggering
number of 89 Tests, of which, 43 defeats was by innings margin. The rest of
16 Tests were drawn.
The number says how vulnerable the Tigers remain at this format but still
they are indomitable at home, largely because of their spin attack, led by
Shakib Al Hasan.
Since 2016, when Bangladesh unleashed rage turner to assist their spinners,
they grabbed historical win against England, Australia and lastly West
Indies.
In the last home series against West Indies, Bangladesh’s four-pronged spin
attack-consisted with Shakib Al Hasan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam and
Nayeem Hasan, claimed all 40 available wickets.
Spinners also played a role in defeating Zimbabwe by innings margin when
Bangladesh played its last Test in March 2020. The only time Bangladesh
couldn’t take the home advantage against Afghanistan in 2019 as the Afghan
spinners proved more efficient than the home spinners.
In this period, Bangladesh however continued to be vulnerable at overseas
condition.
This time, though Chattogram wicket is expected to assist spinners, it is
unlikely to be rage turner.
Domingo said they will encourage pacers too, keeping in mind that they
would have play large number of Test matches in overseas condition this year.
“Looking at the wickets in Chittagong, the pace bowlers don’t seem to be
too much of a threat. It is an unfortunate thing. It just seems to be the
nature of the wicket. We have to make sure we play to our strengths,” Domingo
said.
“We are very committed to getting some fast bowlers through the system.
When we go away from home, they will be crucially important for us. But we
also can’t be stupid to pick out-and-out pace attacks when you are playing on
wickets that don’t offer them anything,” he added.
Apart from Zimbabwe (7 wins) and West Indies (4 wins), Bangladesh doesn’t
win more than one match against any Test opponents.
The Tigers lost 10 Tests and drew four against the Caribbean in 16
matches. The stat against the visitors is expected to keep them motivated.
Moreover the return of Shakib Al Hasan in the Test format after serving
the ICC-imposed ban due to his failure to report corrupt approaches of
bookies will further boost Bangladesh. It will be Shakib’s first Test since
he played against Afghanistan in 2019.
But despite being whitewashed in ODI series, West Indies is looking to
take the opportunity of Bangladesh’s rust that is expected to haunt them for
not playing Test cricket for almost one year.
“I think the little bit of vulnerability could be early in the Test (for
Bangladesh),” West Indies coach Phil Simmons said.
“They haven’t played Test cricket for a year now, and getting back might
be a bit of vulnerability early on. I am sure that will soon be taken care
of. They have a fairly experienced team with the likes of Tamim and Shakib.
The vulnerability might not last too long but if it does happen, we have to
seize the opportunity,” he said.