The camp for the much-awaited India series will begin in Mirpur today
with all the players of the 23-member preliminary squad scheduled to
hit the gym at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in the morning.
After a brilliant performance against Pakistan, which saw the Tigers whitewash them in the ODIs, win the sole T20I and put up record stands in the Tests, the expectations for the India series, which begins on June 10, have increased manifold.
In addition to the momentum, the Tigers will be encouraged by the fact that a single win in the three-match ODI series can lift them above the West Indies to the seventh position in the ICC rankings. A winless series though, would send them back below Pakistan to number nine.
While Bangladesh's record against India in both Tests and ODIs isn't anything to write home about, one believes that the hosts can bank on the momentum gained from a historic series against Pakistan.
In Tests, Bangladesh have lost six out of the seven matches between the two sides, managing to draw the lone rain-hit Test in Chittagong in 2007. The last time the two teams met was at Mirpur in 2010. A game India comfortably won by 10 wickets.
However, that match saw a brilliant 151 from opener Tamim Iqbal, which helped prevent yet another innings defeat for the Tigers against India.
The good news for Bangladesh is that Tamim seems to have revived his form. With a double-century to his name in the last series, the left-hander seems to be enjoying himself. He has played two matches against India and has a healthy average of 58.50.
It's not just the left-hander who boasts a good record against India.
Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah Riyad have scored runs at an average of
61.66 against the men in blue. In addition, the lone Test will take
place on an expectedly flat Fatullah track where one expects batsmen to
flourish.
However, the problem for the Tigers lies in their bowling. Apart from Mohammad Shahid, the Tigers are yet to find a pacer who is either fit or in form.
Rubel Hossain and Shafiul Islam, both of whom are recovering from their respective injuries, have been bowling in the nets regularly over the last few days and will hope they can make it in time for the Test.
Abul Hasan, who got on the wickets column after quite a while in the recently concluded Bangladesh Cricket League, is the other option.
While the pacers may not exactly hold the key for Bangladesh in the Test series, they are expected to play a leading role for the Tigers in the three-match ODI series in Mirpur.
From the current team, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza (16), Shakib Al Hasan (14) and Taskin Ahmed (10), are the highest wicket-takers against India.
Bangladesh's chances of winning an ODI against India increase quite a bit when Mashrafe puts on a good show with the ball, with the skipper playing extremely crucial roles in each of Bangladesh's three wins against India.
In 2004, he scored 31 runs and took two wickets. The famous World Cup win in 2007 saw him bowl beautifully to take a four-wicket haul. In the Asia Cup in 2012, Mashrafe again took two crucial wickets.
The last time India visited Bangladesh was in 2014. Back then the team management decided to spice up the tracks and attack India with pace. That's when Taskin made a brilliant ODI debut by taking five wickets.
Although the plan then backfired as the Tigers themselves failed to handle the movement of the pitch, whether the Tigers will try out a similar strategy this time around remains uncertain.
However, the mood in the camp will be extremely different, as opposed to the seemingly derailed attitude last year. As skipper Mashrafe himself put it a number of times in the last few weeks, 'the players are extremely hungry for wins right now'.
After a brilliant performance against Pakistan, which saw the Tigers whitewash them in the ODIs, win the sole T20I and put up record stands in the Tests, the expectations for the India series, which begins on June 10, have increased manifold.
In addition to the momentum, the Tigers will be encouraged by the fact that a single win in the three-match ODI series can lift them above the West Indies to the seventh position in the ICC rankings. A winless series though, would send them back below Pakistan to number nine.
While Bangladesh's record against India in both Tests and ODIs isn't anything to write home about, one believes that the hosts can bank on the momentum gained from a historic series against Pakistan.
In Tests, Bangladesh have lost six out of the seven matches between the two sides, managing to draw the lone rain-hit Test in Chittagong in 2007. The last time the two teams met was at Mirpur in 2010. A game India comfortably won by 10 wickets.
However, that match saw a brilliant 151 from opener Tamim Iqbal, which helped prevent yet another innings defeat for the Tigers against India.
The good news for Bangladesh is that Tamim seems to have revived his form. With a double-century to his name in the last series, the left-hander seems to be enjoying himself. He has played two matches against India and has a healthy average of 58.50.
However, the problem for the Tigers lies in their bowling. Apart from Mohammad Shahid, the Tigers are yet to find a pacer who is either fit or in form.
Rubel Hossain and Shafiul Islam, both of whom are recovering from their respective injuries, have been bowling in the nets regularly over the last few days and will hope they can make it in time for the Test.
Abul Hasan, who got on the wickets column after quite a while in the recently concluded Bangladesh Cricket League, is the other option.
While the pacers may not exactly hold the key for Bangladesh in the Test series, they are expected to play a leading role for the Tigers in the three-match ODI series in Mirpur.
From the current team, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza (16), Shakib Al Hasan (14) and Taskin Ahmed (10), are the highest wicket-takers against India.
Bangladesh's chances of winning an ODI against India increase quite a bit when Mashrafe puts on a good show with the ball, with the skipper playing extremely crucial roles in each of Bangladesh's three wins against India.
In 2004, he scored 31 runs and took two wickets. The famous World Cup win in 2007 saw him bowl beautifully to take a four-wicket haul. In the Asia Cup in 2012, Mashrafe again took two crucial wickets.
The last time India visited Bangladesh was in 2014. Back then the team management decided to spice up the tracks and attack India with pace. That's when Taskin made a brilliant ODI debut by taking five wickets.
Although the plan then backfired as the Tigers themselves failed to handle the movement of the pitch, whether the Tigers will try out a similar strategy this time around remains uncertain.
However, the mood in the camp will be extremely different, as opposed to the seemingly derailed attitude last year. As skipper Mashrafe himself put it a number of times in the last few weeks, 'the players are extremely hungry for wins right now'.
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