What’s the story?
India’s premier wicket-keeper batsman Wriddhiman Saha has warned against taking Bangladesh lightly when the two teams square off for a solitary Test in Hyderabad. The 32-year old chose not to read too much into the rankings whilst reiterating the importance of remaining sharp during every contest.
While India are ranked number one in Tests and currently on an 18-match unbeaten streak, Bangladesh find themselves ninth in the rankings and only have eight victories (with five of those coming against Zimbabwe) in their entire Test history.
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Saha insisted, “Ranking-wise, one may think they will be easier opponents on paper. But we cannot underestimate them before taking on to the field. It all depends on the situation on a given day. We have to approach the situation accordingly. Everyone wants do well on the field. You may not do what you think. It’s about converting your thoughts into a good performance. I don’t know when the Aussies are coming but as of now the focus is on Bangladesh Test. After they’re here, we will think about it.”
The Background
The one-off Test will mark Bangladesh’s first appearance in the longest format on Indian soil. Arriving into the match on the back of a 0-2 defeat in New Zealand, their skipper Mushfiqur Rahim recently harped on the positives of stepping foot onto India with no expectation whatsoever.
The heart of the matter
When asked about the forthcoming 4-Test series against the visiting Australians, Saha asserted that the Indian team is not looking too far ahead and would first channel their focus on the Bangladesh clash.
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The pugnacious gloveman has been in exceptional form. After smashing an unbeaten 203 to propel Rest of India to a remarkable chase in the Irani Cup match against Gujarat, he helped Bengal top the East Zone in the Inter-State T20 tournament. He played down the difficulty of switching between different formats by alluding to his extensive experience in the game.
What’s next?
The solitary Test between India and Bangladesh will begin from Thursday at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium at Uppal, Hyderabad. The visitors are currently in the middle of a warm-up match against India ‘A’ at the same city.
Sportskeeda’s Take
Considering the fact that Bangladesh do not have much to lose and the onus will be on the hosts to take centre stage, Virat Kohli’s team certainly cannot take the Tigers lightly. Their familiarity of the spin-friendly subcontinental pitches could turn the contest into an exciting one.
