Daily Times

MIRPUR: Ireland have nine uncapped players in their Test squad. Three of them have never played first-class cricket. They also have just four survivors from their last Test, back in 2019. Opposite them are Bangladesh, with 473 caps in their Test squad. They were also quite dominant in the white-ball leg of the series in Sylhet and Chattogram, so the Dhaka Test has the potential to be an uneven contest. The seven-wicket in the final T20I in Chattogram should, however, give Ireland some confidence. It was their first win on tour, with the batting, bowling and fielding finally coming together. One of the big stars of the show, Paul Stirling, has gone back home as he is not part of the Test set-up. but they will have regular captain Andy Balbirnie back at the helm after taking a break from the T20Is. The Ireland party also has PJ Moor, the former Zimbabwe wicketkeeper-batter who is now an Ireland cricketer. He has played eight Test matches. Ireland have played only three in all these years. He also has experience playing in Bangladesh. His last Test was also in Dhaka, in 2018.

Mark Adair will lead the bowling attack with Graham Hume, Fionn Hand and Thomas Mayes in the pace department. Andy McBrine is the most experienced spinner in the side that also has legspinner Ben White, who was impressive in the T20Is, and left-arm spinner Matthew Humphreys. Ireland have two Tests in Sri Lanka to follow, this game will give them a chance to get used to the conditions and figure out their brand of Test cricket. Bangladesh were at full strength, but a late announcement that Taskin Ahmed has been ruled out with a side strain has marred that. “Taskin underwent an MRI today which confirmed that he has a left side strain (grade 2), ” national team physio Bayjedul Islam Khan said. “Such injuries take about four weeks to recover from. This unfortunately means that he will not be available for the Test against Ireland.”

Shakib Al Hasan and Litton Das make up the leadership duo, while Tamim Iqbal and Ebadot Hossain have returned to the side after they missed the India Tests in December. Zakir Hasan is the big miss after his successful Test debut, with a left thumb injury keeping him out. Shadman Islam has returned in his place. Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mominul Haque and Shakib will bridge the top and middle-order, with Tamim at the top and Mushfiqur Rahim coming in after that. But who will partner Tamim – Shadman or Mahmudul Hasan Joy?

Litton Das and Curtis Campher in the spotlight: Litton Das found a high gear in the T20Is against Ireland, ending with the highest strike rate (minimum 100 runs) by a Bangladesh batter in a T20I series – 198.52. Litton was also Bangladesh’s highest Test scorer last year, despite mostly batting in the lower-middle order. Russell Domingo had predicted that it wouldn’t be long before Litton got a more central batting role in the Test team. It may not be in this Test, but is certainly around the corner. Stirling aside, Curtis Campher was the only Ireland batter who showed a bit of form in the T20Is. Campher is expected to take the attacking options even in the red-ball format. But in his only first-class match, for Ireland A in Chattogram two years ago, he spent more than four hours in the middle across two innings. Maybe he can play the long game if needed too.

The question will be about whether Mahmudul Hasan Joy or Shadman Islam will open with Tamim Iqbal. Taskin Ahmed’s late withdrawal also means that Khaled Ahmed is likely to take his place. Uncapped paceman Rejaur Rahman Raja has been added to the squad as Taskin’s replacement. There has to be a call between Matthew Humphreys and George Dockrell, who might lose out since he doesn’t bowl anymore.

Squads: Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Mahmudul Hasan Joy/Shadman Islam, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto, 4 Mominul Haque, 5 Shakib Al Hasan (capt), 6 Mushfiqur Rahim, 7 Litton Das (wk), 8 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 9 Taijul Islam, 10 Khaled Ahmed, 11 Ebadot Hossain.

Ireland squad (probable): 1 Murray Commins, 2 James McCollum, 3 Andy Balbirnie, 4 Harry Tector, 5 PJ Moor, 6 Curtis Campher, 7 Lorcan Tucker (wk), 8 Mark Adair, 9 Andy McBrine, 10 Graham Hume, 11 Matthew Humphreys.