Ireland’s roster includes nine untested players and will benefit from PJ Moor; Bangladesh is prepared and has backup plans.
In the big picture, Ireland’s need for more expertise is a concern.
Ireland’s Test team includes nine athletes who need experience. First-class cricket has never been played by three of them. They only have four survivors from their most recent test, which took place in 2019. Bangladesh, who have 473 appearances on their Test roster, are in opposition to them. The Dhaka Test could be a competitive match because they were also quite strong in the white-ball portion of the series in Sylhet and Chattogram.
But Ireland should feel more confident after winning the final T20I in Chattogram by seven wickets. They achieved their first trip victory thanks to improved batting, bowling, and defense. They will have their usual skipper Andy Balbirnie back at the helm after a break from the T20Is, one of the show’s major stars, Paul Stirling, has returned home because he is not a part of the Test cricket.
PJ Moor, a former Zimbabwe wicketkeeper-batsman currently an Ireland player, is another member of the Ireland group. He has participated in eight Test cricket games. Ireland has only participated in three games over the years. He has previously played in Bangladesh. His most recent exam took place in Dhaka in 2018.
The bowling assault will be led by Mark Adair, with Graham Hume, Fionn Hand, and Thomas Mayes providing the speed. The team’s left-arm spinner Matthew Humphreys and legspinner Ben White, who excelled in the T20Is, are joined by left-arm spinner Andy McBrine, who has the most expertise.
Ireland has two Test cricket matches in Sri Lanka coming up; this match will allow them to adjust to the environment and develop their style of Test cricket.
Bangladesh has reached maximum capacity. The executive team consists of Shakib Al Hasan and Litton Das, and Tamim Iqbal and Ebadot Hossain have joined the team after missing the December Tests against India. After a good Test cricket season, Zakir Hasan’s absence due to a left thumb injury is a significant loss. In his stead, Shadman Islam has returned.
Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mominul Haque, and Shakib will connect the top and middle orders, with Tamim at the top and Mushfiqur Rahim stepping in afterward. Mahmudul Hasan Joy or Shadman will be Tamim’s companion, though.
In addition to Taskin Ahmed and Ebadot, the spin assault will consist of Shakib, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, and Taijul Islam.
Form Manual
Bengali LLLLL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Ireland LLL
Litton Das and Curtis Campher are highlighted.
With a strike rate of 198.52, Litton Das finished the T20I series against Ireland with a Bangladeshi batsman’s best strike rate (minimum 100 runs). Despite frequently playing in the lower middle order, Litton Das was Bangladesh’s leading Test performer last year. Russell Domingo said it would take a little while before Litton Das received a more significant batting position in the Test squad. Although it might not be in this exam, it is undoubtedly coming.
Except for Stirling, Curtis Campher was the only Irish batsman who displayed some form in the T20Is. Even in the red-ball version, Campher is predicted to choose the offensive choices. However, he sat in the center for more than four hours throughout two innings in his only first-class game against Ireland A in Chattogram two years ago. He can think strategically if necessary.
Group Stories
Bangladesh has no significant problems, and Tamim’s starting companion is the only thing of note.
Tamim Iqbal, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Shadman Islam, 3; Najmul Hossain Shanto, 4; Mominul Haque, 5, Shakib Al Hasan (captain), 6. Mushfiqur Rahim, 7; Liquid Dash (wk), 8; Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 9; Taskin Ahmed, 10; Taijul Islam, and 11 Ebadot Hossain are the Bangladeshi players who are likely to play.
Matthew Humphreys and George Dockrell must make a decision, and George Dockrell might lose because he no longer bowls.
Ireland team (likely): Murray Commins, James McCollum, Andy Balbirnie, Harry Tector, PJ Moor, Curtis Campher, Lorcan Tucker (wk), Mark Adair, Andy McBrine, Graham Hume, and Matthew Humphreys are in order of performance.
Pitch and circumstances
Despite the myth that spinners only play at Shere Bangla National Stadium, the average first-innings score over the last seven Tests has been 446. Despite a brief period of rain in Dhaka lately, the weather will primarily be dry.
Numbers and Riddles
The only player to amass 1000 runs and 50 catches in Tests at a single location—this one—is Shakib.
White, Thomas Mayes, and Humphreys, all of Ireland’s team members, have never participated in a first-class cricket match.
Moor is the first Test cricket player to leave Zimbabwe and represent another nation. Before playing for Zimbabwe, John Traicos and Gary Ballance moved from South Africa and England, respectively.
Mominul is just 19 runs away from reaching his goal of 1000 training runs at the Shere Bangla National Stadium. At Chattogram’s Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, he has already hit 1205 runs.
