Bangladesh Test captain Mushfiqur urged the players to convince India to invite them repeatedly to play a bilateral series by putting up a stellar performance in the one-off Test at Hyderabad, a first Test tour in their neighbouring country since their elevation to elite level of cricket in 2000.
India though was the Bangladesh’s opponent during their maiden Test, never invited them to their country in the last 17 years, citing commercial loss. The ignorance of the next-door country which also lobbied strongly for Bangladesh’s Test status, hurt the country’s adorable fans also, specially when Australia and England had no reservation to invite Bangladesh in Test tour for quite a couple of times.
Apart from any ICC organised tournament, Bangladesh never played any match at national level in India soil after their Test status. So as per the context and perspective, the game is getting the status of a ‘historic match’, a term that skipper Mushfiqur Rahim downplayed.
“It’s a surprising matter to me that it is said the match is historic in its context but I don’t think so,” Mushfiqur said yesterday. “Rather we feel more pressure when we play against Zimbabwe because we have many things to loss in case of a defeat. But it is right we have everything to prove in Indian soil. We have to play well to prove our mettle. We have to show such performance which could convince India to invite us regularly.”
The captain termed the squad that presented to him as best, considering the team has diversity in all three departments. According to him, it is the team on which anyone can bet to do well in Indian condition. “Whatever the condition is, we made sure that our preparation is best for the tour,” he insisted. “We have got a lot diversified squad which has depth in batting, diversity in pace and spin bowling and we got pace and spin bowling all-rounder. So whatever the condition is, we have the resources to play well.”
Mushfiqur cited India’s bowling as much improved sector but don’t give up the hopes of doing well. “Their wicket is much batting friendlier than us. But still the visiting country’s batsmen struggle in Indian condition. Their bowling attack is now much improved but we have also a good bowling department. If we don’t put down so many catches like the New Zealand tour, then the bowling that we got, we think we are able to push India hard,” he expected.
But the loss of Mustafizur Rahman to the injury is considered as great loss, according to Mushfiqur Rahim who said every captain would regret of not getting the service of a bowler like him.
“As a captain, I always want him in my team. I also want him to play three formats of cricket regularly. But the injury for which he underwent an operation is not easy one. He shouldn’t take risk. I definitely want him but I want a full fit Mustafizur. If he doesn’t count him full fit, I don’t want him to take risk.”
“We have long cricket coming up, starting from Sri Lanka tour, ICC Champions trophy. So a full fit Mustafizur is badly needed. Moreover he even doesn’t bowl 15 overs at a stretch in net, so it’s not possible for him to play a Test match directly.”
At the same time, the captain expected that he himself would be in quite good shape ahead of the Test match against India.
He however said that they will eye to keep up their improved performance in the Test level when they face off India at Hyderabad on February 9.
“We have been playing fantastic cricket in the last two years. We have some lacking in Test format but we are improving in that sector also. In the last series against New Zealand we proved our level in the Test cricket also has been improved. It’s imperative to keep it up. The boys are motivated enough to play well against India,” he signed off.