CHENNAI, India, Sept 18 (Agencies): A series sweep against Bangladesh will cement India's place atop the World Test Championship (WTC) standings but the team under Rohit Sharma are guarding against any complacency in the two-match home series beginning in Chennai on Thursday.
Bangladesh, led by Najmul Hossain Shanto, are on a high after their memorable 2-0 series victory in Pakistan, a team they had never beaten before in a Test match.
The task will be tougher against India, who have prevailed in 11 of the 13 previous encounters between the neighbours -- the other two were draws -- and have not lost a home test series since 2012.
Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain said on Wednesday (September 18), that they are not thinking too much about their opponent but rather are focusing on their own strengths, in preparation for the the two-match series opener against India, scheduled in Chennai from September 19.
"I think it's important to think about ourselves rather than thinking about opponents. What strengths we have. I believe we have the ability to play good cricket here. It's important how we can play good cricket for five days. Every international team aims to win every match. We have the same goal as well that we will play to win," Najmul told reporters ahead of the series opener on Wednesday.
The Bangladesh skipper mentioned that the team collectively shall focus on their own methods and that they shall not be thinking about the result of the Test match until the final day. Najmul hopes that a positive performance in this series will allow the sub-continental nation to play in more Test matches in the future.
"We will do what's needed to win a match. We will worry about the result in the final session of the fifth day. Before that, we will try to play according to our strengths.
"We played very good cricket in Pakistan but now that is in the past. But as you mentioned, that gives us a lot of confidence. But we are here to play a new series and the dressing room believes that we can play very good cricket here. And we are not thinking about the outcome, we are just trying to follow our processes.
"If we can do well in these series, I think every team will want to play more matches with us. So this is a huge opportunity to see how good we can play here. I hope every team will be interested in playing with us after the way Bangladesh have been playing Test cricket," he said.
Meanwhile, veteran all-rounder Shakib al Hasan joined the team last night. He arrived from the UK after having played a county game for Surrey against Somerset, having picked nine wickets.
"I have been big believer that we don't fear anyone but we respect everyone," India head coach Gautam Gambhir told reporters on Wednesday.
"I congratulate them for what they did in Pakistan but this is a new series and they are a quality side and we want to play good cricket."
India are hoping to make the WTC final for the third time in a row and are eyeing a strong start to their season, which also includes three home tests against New Zealand followed by five in Australia.
They have been reinforced by wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant's return to the side after a horrible crash in December 2022.
Dhruv Jurel, who impressed both behind and in front of the stumps in the home series against England earlier this year, will have to wait for his turn.
"Jurel is a phenomenal player but when Pant is coming in, sometimes people have to wait," Gambhir said.
Mohammed Shami will miss the series as he recovers from an ankle surgery but Bangladesh batters will still have to deal with the cunning and craft of India's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah and the lively pace of Mohammed Siraj.
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