It will be an acid test for Bangladesh as they take on Sri Lanka in the first Test of the Two-match series scheduled to begin today (Tuesday) at Galle International Stadium in Galle.
The last time Bangladesh came to Galle, they played on perhaps the flattest pitch seen in Sri Lanka this decade-one which saw the visitors piled up 638, while skipper Mushfiqur Rahim hit his nation’s maiden international double-hundred.
But after four years things have changed. Bangladesh now have fought their way into Test cricket with some encouraging performances as they no longer need flat track to prosper.
While Sri Lanka, meanwhile, have consistently thrown up the most difficult batting conditions in the world for the visiting teams. Despite frequent rains, and relatively early sunsets, each of the last 13 Tests in the country has yielded results, and only once since 2013 in that period very few teams could come near 500 mark.
Sri Lanka did not have very good tour in South Africa Tests, but despite that Sri Lanka have, after all, won each of their last five home Tests, whitewashing Australia and West Indies.
In those matches, they have their own home formula: bat first, score quickly before the pitch turns, set Rangana Herath and the spinners loose who makes sure to spun their webs from where no one survives.
But, Bangladesh have now Mustafizur Rahman, Shakib Al Hasan or Mehedi Hasan who also on Lankan pitch can reap rich harvest.
Mushfiqur Rahim should be approaching this game on a soaring cloud of confidence as he would not be keeping. The reasoning behind that decision is sound.
Mushfiqur is perhaps capable of raising that batting average to well over 40, if he only has one discipline to focus on in the longest format.
A reduced workload may also prove beneficial to his leadership.
Mushfiqur said at the pre-match press conference that Bangladesh will wait till the last minute on the exact number of fast bowlers.
Surprisingly, it is Subashis Roy who is being considered as the third seamer ahead of Kamrul Islam Rabbi. If they go for three specialist spinners in the XI, Taijul Islam is the obvious choice.
