'No warm-up, no problem'

Before making his international cricket appearance for Australia, top-order batsman Peter Handscomb used to play junior level tennis. Although the cricketer from Victoria still watches his favourite tennis player Roger Federer and hardly misses the Australian Open tennis tournament, Handscomb has been phenomenal ever since making his Test debut last year.

"I used to play a bit of tennis but I'm not as good as I was back then. That was fun, playing tennis, but the decision to become a cricketer was pretty much for myself as I couldn't win tennis matches; rather I was able to score some runs and I just chased that. Yeah, I still love tennis and try to catch the Australian Open whenever I can. My favourite tennis player is Roger Federer," Handscomb told reporters ahead of their training session at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday.

The Australians had an intense training session for the first time at the National Cricket Academy ground since their arrival in Bangladesh on Friday night.

The 26-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman, who is the first ever cricketer to not be dismissed below fifty in his first seven Test innings informed that the recent tour of India will help his side get an idea of the sub-continental pitches.

Australian cricket team in practice. Photo: Star

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Cricket Board is still hopeful of hosting the warm-up game in Fatullah slated for August 22 after there were doubts over the game due to the venue being waterlogged. But according to Handscomb, even if the tour game does not take place it won't much affect their preparation. He added that they are going to formulate their plans after a team meeting this week.

"I don't think we are going to play the first Test cold as we had a very good preparation in Darwin where we managed to play a three-day game there and I think everyone got the best out of that one. I don't think that if the tour game got cancelled it will affect our preparation that much. Obviously, BCB are doing everything to get the pitches up for us and whatever training we get here -- depending on the weather of course -- I am sure the boys will be fine and ready to go.

"Obviously we know they are a good side at home country on their own conditions are going to be a very strong team. We have got a team meeting this week where we will go through the whole [Bangladesh] team, at least the entire squad and try to formulate a few plans and see how we go," he said.