India vs Bangladesh: “The pressure of playing against India is a privilege,” says Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusingha

Hyderabad: The Bangladesh cricket team, riding high on confidence after beating Pakistan to secure their first series win over them, hope to continue the good form and upset India’s applecart when the two teams meet in the first Test match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai from Thursday.

Bangladesh beat Pakistan by 1o wickets in the first Test and by six wickets in the second to win their first-ever series over Pakistan.

But come Thursday, they will be up against an Indian challenge which many teams have failed to decode in the last few years.

Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha said playing against India will give Bangladesh a reality check on where they are in the Test arena. “We are encouraged by playing the best team in the world, and coming to India and playing against them is the best challenge you get nowadays. Playing against the best always gives you the perception of where you stand, and as sportspersons, we always look forward to it,” Hathurasingha said at a press conference in Chennai after the team’s training session on Tuesday morning.

The former Sri Lankan all-rounder added that the team is riding high on confidence and lauded his wards for handling certain situations better than their opponents which in turn paved the way for a series win. “The win against Pakistan certainly gives us a lot of confidence coming into this series. Keeping the outcome aside, the way we played the series and we handled certain situations, like lagging and coming back, and the people who contributed to it – all give us a lot of belief for this series,” he added.

The Bangladesh coach added that the pressure of playing against India, in India, is a privilege. “The pressure of playing against India is a privilege. We understand where we stand, along with our strengths and limitations,” he exclaimed.

Speaking about his squad, Hathurasingha hoped the depth in batting and their experienced spin attack will hold his team in good stead in the two Test matches. “This is probably the most well-rounded team produced by Bangladesh. We have covered a lot of bases and have got a lot of fast bowlers. We also have an experienced spin attack, besides also having a great depth in our batting. Also, two of our spinners are genuine batters with Test hundreds. It all gives a great balance to our side, along with confidence,” he said.

The first Test between India and Bangladesh will be played in Chennai while Green Park in Kanpur will host the second Test match. The teams will play three T20 internationals after the two Test matches.