Abdullah Al Mehdi

Pink fever has taken over Kolkata and myriad arrangements were in full flow for Bangladesh and India’s first ever pink-ball Test, which will get underway from 1:30pm (Bangladesh time) today.

Bangladesh will play their first Day-Night Test when they take on India in the second Test at Kolkata from November 22. The Tigers practiced during the morning yesterday with India’s practice scheduled for the afternoon and ahead of the Test at the City of joy, the Eden Gardens began its pink transformation.

Bangladesh’s demanding tour of India reached its last stop yesterday when the Tigers landed in Kolkata at around 3:00pm to take part in the second and final Test against India at the Eden Gardens from November 22.

Like India, Bangladesh were gearing up for their first ever pink-ball Test for the second and final match of the series in Kolkata.

Bangladesh pacer Abu Jayed, who impressed with his ability to swing the ball during the first Test against India, insisted that he kept a discerning eye on India pacer Mohammad Shami during the match to learn key aspects of swing bowling.

“I don’t think there was any lack in preparation. If you look at the eight players that arrived for the Test series, all of them played four-day matches before coming. I didn’t think there would be a problem. I thought they would be able to adjust well.”

Bangladesh took to the field in the morning session on Day Two hoping to find means to thwart the India batting line-up from getting a big score after starting the day with an overnight score of 86 for one.

India were firmly on top against Bangladesh as the hosts piled on the runs to take a huge 343-run lead with four wickets in hand at the end of the second day of the first Test at the Holkar Stadium in Indore yesterday.

During the evenings in Indore, you better have an empty stomach. With a myriad of food outlets strewn across the city, sustenance is never a concern. However, even amongst this plethora of options to choose from, one place in particular called ‘Chappan Dukan’ stands head and shoulders above the rest.

A cool breeze blowing across the ground in the morning comforted the players in otherwise hot and sunny conditions as Bangladesh elected to bat in the first Test against India at the Holkar Stadium in Indore yesterday. There was however no respite from the heat generated by a rampant Indian pace trio for the Bangladesh batsmen.

Before the series began there were assertions about how difficult a challenge the Test series against India would be, compared to the recently-concluded T20I series against the same opposition.

Mominul Haque, one of Bangladesh’s best performers in the Test circuit, will become Bangladesh’s newest Test captain as the Indore Test against India rolls out the carpet for the start of the Tigers’ Test Championship campaign today.

Bangladesh will begin their World Test Championship campaign with the first Test against India at Indore today with a new Test captain at the helm in the form of Mominul Haque.

While the Bangladesh team were undergoing net sessions at the Holkar Stadium in Indore, the mood around the visiting journalists -- unable to linger pitch side due to the ground’s specific, thoroughly followed regulations and forced to make their way into the stands -- lightened amidst the prevailing seriousness of the Tigers’ camp due to the presence of one humorously-cheerful soul named Nur Boksh.

The Bangladesh team practised under sunny skies at the Holkar Stadium in Indore yesterday and the focus had shifted to red-ball cricket with the likes of Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah Riyad getting into Test gear.

Bangladesh will have little time to reflect on the just-concluded T20I series, where they put up a fight but eventually lost 2-1.

“If we could have won the game and the series, I would have felt much better,” young Bangladesh opener Mohammad Naim thus rued the Tigers’ missed opportunity of making history in India on Sunday night.

Bangladesh’s ace pacer Mustafizur Rahman is one who can turn the tide of a game in crucial junctures. His exploits in the Indian Premier League in 2016 had brought him international fame and as the Tigers step into the third T20I in Nagpur with a chance of making history, a lot depends on their strike bowler turning up for the game.

The series tied 1-1, Bangladesh have the chance to make history with a win when they face India in the third and final T20I at Nagpur’s Vidarbha Cricket Stadium today.

Bangladesh were swept aside by an aggressive Rohit Sharma on a flat batting track in the second T20I in Rajkot on Thursday after the Tigers’ errors in batting led to a middling score, allowing the Indian captain to make things look easy during his 43-ball 85.