NEWS
Follow UsThe Bangladesh Test side arrived in India riding the high of winning 2-0 against Pakistan in Pakistan. However, they’ll be up against a team that hasn’t lost a Test series at home in the last 12 years. Speaking on the eve of the first Test match in Chennai, Najmul Hossain Shanto said that his players must focus on what has worked for them so far and concentrate on their own strengths rather than the opposition.
“I think it's important to think about ourselves rather than thinking about our opponents,” Shanto remarked.
“I believe we have the ability to play good cricket here. It's important how we can play good cricket for five days. Every international team aims to win every match. We have the same goal as well that we will play to win. We will do what's needed to win a match. We will worry about the result in the final session of the fifth day. Before that, we will try to play according to our strengths.”
Shanto also said that though the Pakistan series is over now, it has given them a lot of confidence. Moreover, if Bangladesh manage to put together yet another good performance in the longest format, more international teams will be willing to play with them.
"We played very good cricket in Pakistan but now that is in the past,” the left hander said.
“But as you mentioned, that gives us a lot of confidence. But we are here to play a new series and the dressing room believes that we can play very good cricket here. And we are not thinking about the outcome, we are just trying to follow our processes.
"If we can do well in these series, I think every team will want to play more matches with us. So this is a huge opportunity to see how good we can play here. I hope every team will be interested in playing with us after the way Bangladesh have been playing Test cricket.”
Bangladesh’s list of challenges in this series is already long, however the SG ball would be one of the most key ones. Shanto was happy to tell the reporters that the batters have adjusted well to the ball.
“Challenges will be there (playing with SG balls). We practiced with SG balls in Bangladesh before coming here. We've had a few sessions here as well,” Shanto said.
“So I think the batters have adjusted quite well already. And I think, there is nothing much to worry about balls because everyone has been playing international cricket for some time now and has the ability to adapt to such situations.”
Shanto also stressed on adaptability and dialled down on its importance for his players in the upcoming series.
“….Whatever the condition gives us, we will adapt and I hope the players adapt very quickly, that will be good for the team,” Shanto said.
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