Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto is ready for the 'challenging' two-Test series on Indian soil. Riding high on historic two-Test series win against Pakistan, Shanto said that the team has 'extra confidence'.
"This will be a challenging series for us but after having a good series against Pakistan, there is an extra confidence in our team as well as among all the people of the country," Shanto told reporters in Bangladesh before boarding the flight to India. "Every series is an opportunity and we will play to win both the matches. (We will focus on) the things that we need to do for the win...the process is important and we need to do our job properly.
"If we can do our job properly certainly a good result is possible but still it's going to be very challenging. If you see the ranking they are far ahead of us but recently we played a good series and the most important thing is that how we can play good cricket. The result happens in the last session of the five days and so if we can play good cricket we have a chance to do well in the last session.
"It is important what plans need to be executed to play well for five days and there will be a chance to win but let's not think too far ahead and focus on our strength and how we can play good cricket.”
Shanto backs his spinners
Shanto admits that Bangladesh's pace attack is relatively less experienced. However, he feels that their spinners are capable of delivering irrespective of conditions.
"Our spin and pace is in a good frame. But still if you compare the teams, I feel our pacers are relatively less experienced compared to them," said the 26-year-old. "Spin wise we are close to them but experience wise I would keep them ahead but our spinners can bowl in any condition and I can say this much - that all the players, whether pacers, spinners or batters, whoever will play, every player will give a hundred percent. The difference can be made when we play as a team."
Shanto on his batting
Shanto has not been able to score big of late. In the Test series against Bangladesh, he scored 58 runs from three innings. He said that he has done the preparation to contribute with the bat.
"My personal goal is that Bangladesh team wins and I feel as a batter if I can contribute to the team. The preparation that is required to do that, I have done. The rest lies in the hand of Allah and I will try my best to contribute for the team," the southpaw said.
In the last Test series against India in 2022, he scored 96 runs from four innings including a half-century.
The Bangladesh team has reached India and the Test series will begin on September 19 at M.Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.
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