The Test begins, finally
The long wait is over. The first of the two-Test series between Bangladesh and Australia commences at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur today, ending an impasse that saw the Aussies refusing to tour on security grounds two years ago followed by a lengthy pay dispute that cast doubt over the series.
Weather permitting, the match will start at 10am and the good news is that despite the rain threat, fans can expect more playing hours than weather intervention over the next five days of what could possibly be a stop-start Test match.
The game will also mark a few firsts -- a completely new generation of cricketers to renew a Test rivalry after 11 long years; a newly laid pitch and fresh green grass on the overhauled Mirpur turf and of course a new meaning of 'rivalry' after Bangladesh's recent home dominance against a visiting team.
The home of Bangladesh cricket will host its first game after that famous victory against England in the second Test in October last year. The game against Australia will also mark Bangladesh's first five-day game after the victory against Sri Lanka in their landmark 100th Test in Colombo earlier this year.
Steven Smith's Australia acknowledged that it would be a tough challenge when they arrived here on August 18. But they certainly did not expect forceful and at times animated remarks from the home side ahead of the real battle. Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan went on record by saying that 'the Tigers have the ability to win the series 2-0 and the home spin attack is better than the touring side.' Understandably it was done with an intention and apparently succeeded in irking both Smith and his key bowler off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Smith at a pre-match briefing yesterday said that he was a bit 'surprised' with a notion of a 2-0 win from a side that have won only 9 out of its 100 Tests. It is a statistic that is as true as Australia's inability to win games in the sub-continent where they could win only two Tests in the last 11 years since their 2-0 sweep against Bangladesh in 2006.
A 2-0 win is definitely a big statement but Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim added more spice to that debate when he said: "We are not playing against aliens. We are playing against Australia. They are a very good team. But we have the ability to beat them on our home soil. In that case we will have to play really well."
The biggest puzzle ahead of the game was how the newly-laid Mirpur wicket will play and according to Mushfiqur it would help the spinners. The last Test against England on this ground lasted only three days and the last session was perhaps the biggest inspiration the confident Tigers can take going against the Australia juggernaut.
Although Bangladesh are yet to make the final selection it was learnt that off-spinner Nasir Hossain and pace bowler Shafiul Islam will mark their return to the team. In that event Taskin Ahmed and top-order batsman Mominul Haque will sit out the game.
Probable Bangladesh team: Mushfiqur Rahim (captain), Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Imrul kayes, Sabbir Rahman, Shakib Al Hasan, Nasir Hossain, Mehedi Hasan, Taijul Islam, Shafiul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman.