Bangladesh Test captain Najmul Hossain Shanto, on Friday, labeled Cricket Australia’s decision to name a full-strength squad for the two-match Test series against Bangladesh in August as “an achievement.”
He made the remark during the Notun Kuri final ceremony at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium when he was queried about the historic Australia tour.
“Normally, I have never seen anything like this before in Bangladesh cricket. When teams play against us, there are usually a lot of experiments. I would say that this is an achievement for our team,” he said.
The Bangladesh captain believes it is a huge opportunity for his side to show how far they have come in Test cricket in recent years.
“Because they have brought such a team, it is a very big opportunity for us to see how well we can play cricket against them,” he noted.
“I would say that we have already managed to build a good position with this Test team. Because, if you look at the opposition squad, it is clear that they have not taken this series lightly,” he continued.
However, when asked about the injury concerns of some of the key players, the left-handed batter did not have much to say.
“Those decisions will actually be taken by the physio, the trainer and the management group, and they are managing it that way. Beyond that, there is not much more to say,” he concluded.
The hosts have already named a strong 13-player Test squad led by Pat Cummins, featuring an experienced pace attack of Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland alongside veteran spinner Nathan Lyon.
The batting line-up is anchored by Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head, while all-rounders Cameron Green and Beau Webster add further depth.
Bangladesh last played Test matches on Australian soil in 2003 under Khaled Mahmud Sujon’s captaincy against a side full of generational greats led by Steve Waugh.
