Bangladesh cricket team practiced for the first time after reaching England. The Tigers have completed practice in Cambridge with a 3-match ODI series against Ireland. Chandika Hathurusingha’s disciples practiced on the first day without Shakib, Liton, and Mustafiz. Assistant coach Nick Pothus joined the team.

After 24 years, the Bangladesh cricket team will play at Chelmsford County Ground. The opponent is Ireland. The away series against the Irish is also after a long time. If Bangladesh can be whitewashed in this series, they will have a chance to reach the top eight of the ICC Super League and play directly in the World Cup. A few days ago, the team that was defeated in the one-day tour of Bangladesh is dreaming of crossing a very difficult road in familiar conditions. Therefore, it is known that this series will not be easy for the Bangladesh team, which has always struggled in foreign conditions.

Chandika Hathurusingha’s first away series challenge with students. Also to adapt from the heat of Bangladesh to the cold air of England. In the absence of Jamie Siddons, the Lankan mastermind will also have to handle the duties of batting coach in this series. Nick Pothus is the head coach’s new partner in the fight. This is the first time the South African has joined the Tiger camp as an assistant coach.

Although the match is in Essex, the Tigers practice at Leys Cambridge. Tamim-Mushfiqur was focused on the first day of practice at the practice venue, about 50 miles away from the match venue. After warm-up and fielding, batting-bowling has also improved. For the first time with Hasan-Shariful, the national team’s practice on foreign soil was not bad.

Meanwhile, 12 cricketers have reached England in two stages. After returning home from IPL, Liton Das went to England alone. Another IPL comeback Mustafizur Rahman is also going. Shakib Al Hasan is also scheduled to arrive in Essex before the May 5 warm-up match.

Cheteshwar Pujara played two good knocks while Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, and R Ashwin also did their job with the bat. Kuldeep Yadav had an excellent all-round outing with Mohammed Siraj critical in the first innings and Axar Patel picking up the key wickets in the second. The Chattogram pitch eased up after a tough first day and became an excellent one to bat on, testing the bowlers’ stamina and persistence. The Shere Bangla National Stadium, however, is known for its raging turners and might demand a different set of skills, particularly from the batters.

India’s bowling will be quite handy here. Siraj may get some lateral movement but the bulk of the workload may fall on Ashwin, Kuldeep, and Axar. Where they had to be up for bowling long spells in Chattogram, they can expect a little more assistance here.
Bangladesh faces an uphill task. Many believe their greatest challenge is to motivate themselves to be more consistent. Still, there were certainly moments in Chattogram when they fell short of India in the technical and tactical departments too. The likes of Litton Das and Mushfiqur Rahim have to lead them out of this rut. Zakir Hasan and Najmul Hossain Shanto have to follow up their good work from Chattogram too, with India likely to have come up with new plans for the former, who made a century on debut.

In encouraging news for Bangladesh, their fast-bowling coach Allan Donald said on the eve of the game that Shakib Al Hasan – who seemed likely to play as a specialist batter due to shoulder and rib cage injuries – would bowl* in Mirpur. It ensures they will be able to stick with the same team composition they used in Chattogram.

Whichever way it goes, expect a fast-moving contest in Mirpur with wickets falling in clusters.
Form guide
Bangladesh: LLLLD (last five Tests, most recent first)
India: WLWWL

In the Spotlight
He doesn’t play often, but on a Chattogram pitch that offered slow turn, Kuldeep Yadav was a handful in his first Test after nearly two years. He ran through Bangladesh’s middle order and took 5 for 40 in the first innings, and played a key supporting role in the second with three more wickets. Kuldeep is expected to come into the game even more in Mirpur, where the ball also tends to keep low, especially with his ability to change trajectory subtly. Kuldeep’s other advantage is the total lack of practice Bangladesh’s batters get against left-arm wrist spin, even in the nets.

Zakir Hasan made a fairytale entrance at the highest level with a debut Test century in Chattogram. Last month, he wasn’t originally picked in Bangladesh A squad, but a few strokes of luck and a backs-to-the-wall 173 in Cox’s Bazar put him on the selectors’ radar. The fourth-innings century in Chattogram has sealed his spot for the Test, and a bit of consistency will cement a long-term place.
Team news
Taskin Ahmed is likely to replace Ebadot Hossain, who is out with a back injury. No other changes are expected, with Shakib set to bowl.
Bangladesh (probable): 1 Najmul Hossain Shanto, 2 Zakir Hasan, 3 Yasir Ali, 4 Liton Das, 5 Shakib Al Hasan (capt), 6 Mushfiqur Rahim, 7 Nurul Hasan (wk), 8 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 9 Taijul Islam, 10 Ebadot Hossain, 11 Khaled Ahmed

**KL Rahul took a blow to the hand while batting in the nets on the eve of the match, and while batting coach Vikram Rathour suggested he hadn’t suffered a serious injury, there is a chance he may not be fit to play on Thursday, leaving India without both their first-choice openers – Rohit Sharma has already been ruled out. If Rahul misses the Test match, Abhimanyu Easwaran could come in for his Test debut, with Cheteshwar Pujara taking over the captaincy.

India (probable): 1 Shubman Gill, 2 KL Rahul (capt)/Abhimanyu Easwaran, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara 4 Virat Kohli, 5 Rishabh Pant (wk), 6 Shreyas Iyer, 7 Axar Patel, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Umesh Yadav, 11 Mohammed Siraj
Pitch and conditions
The pitch at the Shere Bangla National Stadium will assist spinners for most of the Test, with run-scoring likely to be at its easiest on the first day. Expect the team winning the toss to bat first, and avoid having to bat in the fourth innings. The weather is expected to be dry.
Stats and trivia
Quotes

“Any selectors here? (Laughs) If I am talking out of the room a little bit, it will be the same three spinners and welcoming back Taskin. Khaled as well. Sorry to the selectors but I am talking out of the room a little bit. That’s what I can see happening. Good news is that Shakib is good to go. Looking at the pitch, I think he will very much come into play.”
Bangladesh fast-bowling coach Allan Donald spills the beans on their combination.