Shakib Al Hasan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Mushfiqur Rahim are expected to shoulder a significant amount of responsibility for Bangladesh, whose away Test performances are on the rise. They have won just eight of their 67 games on tour, but four of those have come after 2021, with the last two being the stuff of legend.
“(The win in Pakistan) definitely gives us a lot of confidence going into this series,” Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusinghe said ahead of the first Test match against India. “Not because of the results of the series, not because of the way we played the series, the way we handled certain situations, we were behind in both the Test matches but how we bounced back and the people who contributed at different times, it gives us a lot of faith going into this series.”
Bangladesh’s good form is largely due to the performances of new players, but the key players are still keeping pace with the younger players.
“Shakib has always played a big part in Bangladesh cricket whenever he can and he has done well,” Hathurusinghe said. “Of course, he gives us the luxury of being able to balance the team the way we want, whether it’s playing more bowlers or more batsmen, because of all his abilities. So he brings adaptability and tremendous experience.
“He’s probably one of the longest-serving internationals, he’s played a lot of games and is in good form. So he brings a lot to the team, not just his skill set but also in other aspects.
“And Miraj, I would say he is the Bangladesh cricketer who has improved the most in the last five or six years. He is ready to step in whenever Shakib leaves. He has improved his batting, obviously his bowling has always been his strength, his No.1. Now he has improved his batting as well, and on the pitch he is a total fielder.”
The success of India’s visiting team will depend on their ability to deal with R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. Bangladesh will rely on Mushfiqur, who has been meticulous in his preparations in Chennai and has practised a variety of sweeps against off-spin and left-arm spinning net bowlers.
“I think Mushfiq mentioned his records to me on the plane flying to India. He said, ‘I average 55 as a coach. Forget about it,'” Hathurusinghe said. “He’s a tremendous player and I’ve never seen anyone prepare in such detail for so long the way he prepares. So the one I haven’t seen is probably Sachin Tendulkar… that type of guy. From everything I’ve read about him, that’s who Mushfiq is. He’s just a professional. He’s a total professional when it comes to cricket.”
Bangladesh have played three Tests in India and lost all three (two by innings). Hathurusinghe will be hoping for a tougher challenge this time around.
“I think this is the most versatile Bangladesh team I’ve ever produced before and this time,” he said. “We cover a lot of bases, we’ve got good fast bowlers, we’ve got a really experienced spin attack and the batting is actually good in depth for two reasons.
“One is that our two spinners (Shakib and Mehidy) are genuine batsmen who have scored Test hundreds, and our two wicketkeepers (Ritten Das and Mushfiqur) are our key batsmen. So the balance in our team in this series is really, really good and that actually gives us a lot more confidence that we can compete in this series.”
