DHAKA (Reuters) – New Zealand’s captain Tim Southee expressed that they are anticipating a “challenging test series” even though Bangladesh will be missing several key players in the upcoming two-match series set to commence in Sylhet on Tuesday.
Regular Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan, along with fast bowlers Taskin Ahmed and Ebadot Hossain, have been ruled out of the series due to injuries. Additionally, Litton Das will be absent as he is on paternity leave.
Southee believes that the home team, led by Najmul Hossain Shanto, will particularly feel the absence of their influential all-rounder Shakib and wicketkeeper-batsman Das.
“Shakib has been an outstanding player for a long time…and Das is a talented player who has performed well against us in the past,” Southee informed reporters on Monday.
“I suppose it’s a setback for them not to have those players, however, it provides an opportunity for others to step into those positions that have been held by those two for a long time.”
Southee expects the conditions to be “unfamiliar” as it signifies the start of the World Test Championship (WTC) cycle for both teams.
“In New Zealand, pace plays a significant role, while in this region, spin has traditionally been important,” Southee mentioned. “We have some high-quality spinners who have excelled in test cricket, so we are eager to see them showcase their abilities.”
New Zealand has arrived with three primary spinners in Ish Sodhi, Mitchell Santner, and Ajaz Patel. Additionally, the inaugural WTC champions have more slow bowling alternatives in all-rounders Rachin Ravindra and Glenn Phillips.
(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; editing by Pritha Sarkar)
