Bangladesh await inexperienced Ireland on their return to Test cricket

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." There is also uncertainty surrounding Tamim Iqbal's availability.*

Shakib Al Hasan and Litton Das make up the leadership duo, while 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?

Bangladesh LLLLL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Ireland LLL

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.

Will both Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Shadman Islam start, with Tamim perhaps missing? 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.

Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal/Shadman Islam, 2 Mahmudul Hasan Joy, 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

There has to be a call between Matthew Humphreys and George Dockrell, who might lose out since he doesn't bowl anymore.

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

Despite the notion that the Shere Bangla National Stadium only caters to spinners, the average first-innings total here in the last seven Tests is 446. The weather will mostly be dry, though Dhaka has seen the odd spell of rain recently.

Stats and trivia

Shakib is the only cricketer to score 1000 runs and take 50 wickets in Tests at a single venue - this one.

Quotes

"We nearly won our last Test in this ground against India. It is our lucky ground. We have won Tests here before. We cannot take Ireland lightly. We respect them. We will give our best. The confidence within this team, keeps us in a good position. Since we haven't won here for a while, it will be a good feeling if we can win."
Bangladesh allrounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz on not winning a Test in Mirpur since 2021.

"It is an exciting group. Certainly get the whites back on, dust off the white pads. We know how good Bangladesh are in Test cricket, particularly here. It will be challenging but exciting." Ireland captain Andy Balbirnie on the prospect of playing a Test match after three years.