Bangladesh national team captain Najmul Hossain Shanto has stated that Zimbabwe, who they face in a two-Test series later this month, should be treated as seriously as Australia or South Africa.
The first Test will be held at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium from April 20 to 24, followed by the second Test at the Bir Shrestha Flight Lieutenant Motiur Rahman Stadium (formerly known as Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium) from April 28 to May 2 in Chattogram.
With the series, Bangladesh will return to the longest format of the game after last playing against the West Indies in November-December last year.
Despite facing a relatively weaker Zimbabwean side, Bangladesh named practically a full-strength squad for the first Test, with the exception of wicketkeeper-batter Liton Das, who was granted an NOC to play in the Pakistan Super League.
Apart from Liton, leg-spinner Rishad Hossain and pacer Nahid Rana are set to feature in the PSL, though Nahid would be available only after the first Test against Zimbabwe.
Shanto wished his three team-mates well for the PSL but reminded them that the challenge for the national team would be no different than any other in the forthcoming Test series.
鈥楨very international series has its own challenge; this will be no different,鈥� Shanto told reporters at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Friday.
鈥榃e are not thinking differently. There鈥檒l be the same pressure.
鈥楾he important thing is how we can prepare ourselves ahead of the match. I always say that there鈥檚 no such thing as a small team. Our cricketers also don鈥檛 think like that. I hope that the general public or the media also don鈥檛 see this that way,鈥� added Shanto.
Shanto also sees the series as an opportunity to move up the Test rankings.
鈥業t鈥檚 important how good cricket we can play. If you see our last year鈥檚 performance, there was an improvement from last year. As I can remember, we won four [three] matches. We鈥檒l have six matches this year. It鈥檒l be important to improve; then our Test cricket will go forward,鈥� he said.
鈥榃e should not differentiate among our opponents like Zimbabwe or Australia or South Africa鈥� We should consider every match as another international match,鈥� he added.
However, the recent record at home and the preparation would be a fact where Shanto & Co could reflect on. Bangladesh will begin the first Test against Zimbabwe after losing the last five matches at home.
The team is supposed to assemble in Sylhet for a practice camp ahead of the first Test, and Shanto believes that will be enough for them.
He said, 鈥業 don鈥檛 say that [we should鈥檝e played a warm-up game]. I sometimes think that it鈥檇 be better if you had got one or two days more for preparation. But I hope after reaching Sylhet, we鈥檒l get enough time for preparation.鈥�