Bangladesh and New Zealand meet for his or her first World Test Championship sport of the brand new cycle

Big image: New cycle brings new hope

The first Test match after the World Cup in India is going down in Sylhet, which geographically, is just not one million miles away, however definitely when it comes to environment, it’s one other world. New Zealand are taking part in their first Test in eight months, Bangladesh in 5 months. It is the kick-off level for the World Test Championship for each groups, so on the very least, factors are at stake.

New Zealand have been the defending champions within the final cycle, however they have been nowhere close to shut to creating the ultimate. That may simply have prompted them to be that little bit extra switched on, leading to bringing their finest staff on this tour after sending a second-string aspect for the ODIs that have been performed right here in September. Everything was totally different then.

Kane Williamson will lead the batting unit alongside Tom Latham, Devon Conway and Henry Nicholls within the high 4. Daryl Mitchell and Rachin Ravindra, having totalled 5 centuries between them within the World Cup, will likely be brimming with confidence.

Captain Tim Southee will lead a bowling assault that’s prone to be spin-dominated. Ish Sodhi is within the combine – he took a six-for in opposition to Bangladesh this 12 months, albeit in a special format. Mitchell Santner appears shout to play his first Test in over two years. Ajaz Patel is one other main choice for his or her selectors. Ravindra’s all-round abilities will likely be key, whereas Neil Wagner too might count on to bowl quite a bit if he’s the second seamer with Southee.

Bangladesh have their very own causes to need to get on the sector rapidly. They had a poor World Cup marketing campaign. The aftermath hasn’t been nice both they usually go into this sequence with out a lot of their key gamers. Captain Shakib Al Hasan and his deputy Litton Das are out. So are quick bowlers Taskin Ahmed and Ebadot Hossain. Apart from Litton who was given paternity go away, the remaining are all injured. Bangladesh have needed to rethink their bowling assault at the same time as Shakib and Tamim Iqbal have left huge holes within the batting line-up.

Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Zakir Hasan are the possible openers, however quite a bit will rely upon captain Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mominul Haque and Mushfiqur Rahim. Taijul Islam and Mehidy Hasan Miraz will carry the inexperienced bowling assault. The image ain’t fairly for Bangladesh, however Sylhet might present the kind of exit they need from the discuss concerning the World Cup, which does not appear to finish in Bangladesh.

Form information

Bangladesh WWLLL (final 5 Tests, most up-to-date first)
New Zealand WWWLD

In the highlight: Mominul Haque and Rachin Ravindra

Usually Mominul Haque would not need to be within the highlight. It was one of many causes that he gave up the Test captaincy final 12 months. His runs had dried up. Many felt it was due to his aversion to the limelight. Mominul, nonetheless, stays Bangladesh’s Test batting mainstay. He will likely be anticipated to get again within the groove rapidly regardless that he has careworn within the latest previous that it is not straightforward being a Test specialist taking part in this format after huge gaps. Still, he was the very best run-getter within the recently-concluded National Cricket League first-class match so batting type is probably not an enormous fear for the left-hander.

There will likely be a whole lot of curiosity in Rachin Ravindra after his World Cup bonanza. He completed because the fourth highest run-getter within the competitors, together with centuries in opposition to England, Australia and Pakistan. He is prone to have a special function within the Test sequence in opposition to Bangladesh, in all probability batting down the order and concerned in a whole lot of bowling. He is already a modified cricketer, having been given the chance of a lifetime so early in his worldwide profession.

Team news: Extra spinners in each XIs

Nurul Hasan will take Litton’s place behind the stumps, whereas Khaled Ahmed is prone to take Taskin’s spot within the bowling unit. Nayeem Hasan is prone to be the third spinner in the event that they select a five-man assault.

Bangladesh (possible): 1 Mahmudul Hasan Joy, 2 Zakir Hasan, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto, 4 Mominul Haque, 5 Mushfiqur Rahim, 6 Nurul Hasan (wk), 7 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 8 Nayeem Hasan 9 Taijul Islam, 10 Shoriful Islam, 11 Khaled Ahmed

New Zealand have a spin puzzle to unravel. Ravindra is prone to bat within the high six after a stellar World Cup marketing campaign, however there might be a toss-up between Ajaz, Santner and Sodhi for 2 positions.

New Zealand (possible): 1 Tom Latham, 2 Devon Conway, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Henry Nicholls, 5 Daryl Mitchell, 6 Rachin Ravindra, 7 Tom Blundell (wk), 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Tim Southee (capt), 10 Ajaz Patel/Ish Sodhi, 11 Neil Wagner

Pitch and circumstances: Sylhet is sweet for batting

Sylhet’s popularity because the finest batting floor in Bangladesh was strengthened by the 5 white-ball worldwide matches held this 12 months. It hasn’t hosted a Test in 5 years however throughout this era, there have been six 400-plus scores in first-class matches at this venue. The climate is generally dry, with the breeze coming down from the hillside typically serving to drop the temperature additional.

Stats and trivia

  • Sylhet is internet hosting solely its second Test match. The first match was in 2018 when Zimbabwe beat Bangladesh.
  • New Zealand are taking part in Tests in Bangladesh after precisely ten years. Bangladesh, in the meantime, have toured New Zealand in 2017, 2019 and 2022 to play six Tests in whole.
  • Shanto has turn out to be Bangladesh’s captain inside 5 years of creating his Test debut. That’s a faster climb to management than Mushfiqur and Mominul, each of whom turned captains six years after their respective Test debuts.

Quotes

“Dusting off the whites and back together as a Test group. We achieved some pretty cool things in the backend of last summer. It has been a heavy diet of white-ball cricket so the guys are excited to be back in Test cricket. Start of the World Test Championship cycle is exciting.”
New Zealand captain Tim Southee cannot wait to get again to work

“I personally believe I can lead the team in all formats. It is easier for anyone to plan as a long-term captain. Whoever comes through as the next captain, he will have a better time if he gets a longer rope.”
Najmul Hossain Shanto on taking up Bangladesh’s Test captain for this sequence.

Mohammad Isam is ESPNcricinfo’s Bangladesh correspondent. @isam84

Source web site: www.espncricinfo.com

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