Test captain Mominul believes team ready for India challenge
Bangladesh will play India in their first ever day-night Test match at Kolkata and it will be India’s first pink ball Test too, and Mominul was looking forward to the occasion.
Stand-in Test team captain of Bangladesh Mominul Haque is hopeful that the team is ready for the upcoming Test series against world number one ranked team India in their home soil
"Wherever you play cricket, there will be a challenge. Playing against India in their home soil is obviously a big challenge but I think everyone, including myself, is ready for that challenge," Mominul told reporters at a press conference on Wednesday.
The choice to make the diminutive left-hander captain in Tests was a surprise call to many and he too was not expecting it.
"I wasn't expecting to be captain at all. Never did I think in my wildest dreams that I'd be leading the national team. Alhamdullillah, I'm thankful that I got the opportunity," Mominul added.
The 28-year-old however expressed that he doesn't feel extra pressure on being given the job of captaincy.
"I didn't ever think that captaincy is added pressure. I you think like that, then you put pressure on yourself. I play the same way I play, to score runs... doesn't matter if I'm captain or not," Mominul said.
Bangladesh will play India in their first ever day-night Test match at Kolkata and it will be India's first pink ball Test too, and Mominul was looking forward to the occasion.
"It's a great opportunity for us to play our first day-night Test with a pink ball since we've never played one before, especially if we can play good cricket," he added.
The team headed into India tour with two of their most decorated cricketers – Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal – missing out due to Shakib getting a one-year ban and Tamim opting out due to family reasons.
"Not having Shakib and Tamim will obviously be a big blow for the team but it's a great opportunity for those stepping in to do well," Mominul said.
Mominul felt that the win in the first T20I for the Tigers was a vital one for the nation's cricket and came at an opportune time.
"I think it was very important to win in this time. We all know that we've been going through some difficult times. And when I think about it, this win will also help us gain self-belief in the Tests," Mominul concluded.