Test challenge continues for Tigers in new year
In 2021, Bangladesh will step into its 21st year of Test cricket with the challenge of changing fortunes in cricket's most elite format.
The Tigers will begin the year as the 10th-ranked side, lower even than newest Test-playing nation Afghanistan, according to the ICC's Test team rankings.
Bangladesh will return to international cricket after 10 months with the upcoming home series against the West Indies, who will play a three-match ODI series starting this month, followed by a two-match Test series.
There has been a lot of talk about developing a good cricketing culture and placing greater emphasis on the longest version -- a format to which the Tigers are yet to fully adapt.
With the selectors having said they are heading for a long-term plan keeping the ICC Test Championship in mind, it will be important for the Bangladesh team management and head coach Russell Domingo to work accordingly.
Mominul Haque and his troops may be up against a rather inexperienced West Indies side to resume the race in the Test championship with the two-match Test series, but it will also be a new beginning for the Tigers to reform their Test culture.
The ICC's team rankings are updated after every game and Bangladesh now have 55 rating points. A win in the Test series against the West Indies would take the Tigers above Afghanistan, who are currently at number nine with 57 rating points.
A win in the series and the resultant climb up to nine from 10 would not be expected to mark a drastic change in the Tigers' Test culture, but it will be important for them to start working on a gradual process to improve their skills and resources to become a better Test unit both at home and away.
On the other hand, if the Tigers lose a Test match against the West Indies it will cost them badly in the rating points and more importantly, it will hamper their progress in the ICC Test championship race.
With an aim to resume afresh, the Tigers will enter another bio-secure bubble from today -- part of the new normal amid the pandemic. The cricketers will undergo the coronavirus test and check in to the team hotel today ahead of the home series against the West Indies, who are scheduled to arrive on January 10.
The selectors had already announced the preliminary 24-member ODI and 20-member Test squad. The players are scheduled to take part in two practice matches among themselves on January 14 and 15 before the three-match ODI series begins from January 20.
Bangladesh's coaching staff, including head coach Domingo, bowling coach Ottis Gibson, fielding coach Ryan Cook and analyst Shrinivas Chandrasekaran are expected to arrive in the country by tomorrow.
Meanwhile, The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has appointed Jon Lewis as the national team batting coach for the home series against the West indies and the tour of New Zealand. The fifty-year-old former county opening batsman has been in coaching since 2007 and has recent experience of working with England's ODI side as its batting coach. He has also been in the same role for Sri Lanka in 2018-2019.
Lewis is expected to reach Dhaka ahead of the National Team's preliminary ODI squad's camp which starts on 10 January.
Bangladesh team will fly for New Zealand in the last week of February for three ODIs and three T20Is.
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