CHENNAI: Bangladesh were noticeably an upbeat side before landing in India. Having pulled off an eye-catching Test series victory over Pakistan, their confidence had risen massively and they had high hopes of putting up another eye-catching performance against India going into the two-match Test series.
However, they were handed a reality check as they lost the opening Test in Chennai by 280 runs within four days.
One of the reasons behind their poor output was their lack of preparation.
The Chandika Hathurusingha-coached side reached Chennai just a few days before the opening Test. That meant they did not get the time to play any practice games. Moreover, the visitors would have expected the Chennai surface to aid spin. Instead, they were greeted by a red-soil surface that offered good bounce and carry.
While their pacers found a fair amount of joy during the match, it seemed like their batters were undercooked to adapt to the surface. It was largely thanks to Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja's stand in the first innings that helped India cruise to victory.
Playing practice games before the start of the series is usually the norm for most top teams. In fact, the Bangladesh team that had toured Chennai two years ago had undergone the same.
They had played some practice games against a quality Tamil Nadu side in both red-ball and white-ball formats. Shadman Islam and Mominul Haque were part of the team then.
Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto was honest in his assessment, admitting that his team's batting was not up to the mark.
"Overall, our first-inning batting was not good. That was very important. If we could have had a partnership with the top order, then we would have been in a better position. That was one reason. We had a good partnership in the second innings. But in the first innings, we had a big loss. We should have been more careful in that area," said Shanto.
Shanto also said that it was a challenge to play on the Chepauk red soil surface.
"It is very important to bat (strongly) in the first innings of a Test match. And as a top-order batsman, there will be a challenge. So it is important how we cope with it. The batters are working towards this but the result is not coming. I hope it will come. I think there was a challenge on the wicket but I don't want to give this as an excuse. We have to face this challenge," he said.
Despite the crushing defeat, Shanto has also taken notes of the positives. He expects his batters to put up an improved performance in the second Test at Kanpur.
"I am not going to compare as I think both the teams (Pakistan and India) have qualities. I think with the new ball, they (India) bowled really well. And from day 2 to day 3, I think the spinners came into play. It is important to spend time at the wicket but it wasn't enough on Sunday. Still, it will help for the second Test. It was very important for the openers to put on 62 runs (partnership). That's one thing we can look forward to in the next Test match," said Shanto.
"They (India) have quality bowlers, both spin and pace. But we cannot think too much about their strengths. We have to really focus on our strengths and believe in ourselves, and how we can contribute to the team. There are a lot of experienced players on our side. I hope they will come back strongly. We have to just believe in ourselves. That is the most important thing," he added.
One person who had a difficult outing for Shanto's side was Shakib Al Hasan, the most experienced player across formats in the team.
The 37-year-old's 21 overs cost 129 runs and he went wicketless in both innings. With the bat too, he could not convert his starts. Shanto, however, has not lost faith in the veteran all-rounder.
"Very brave question. Masha Allah!" the Bangladesh skipper said when questioned about Shakib's place in the Test team. "As a captain, honestly, I look at how much hard work a player is putting into his game. Shakib is doing everything possible to get his form back. Whether he is struggling enough to make a comeback (for me what is important is that), what is their intention towards the team and how much he is willing to give to the team," he said.
"I look at these things mainly. Some people might think that I am saying it because the question is about Shakib bhai. I try to look at everyone in the same way, whether it is, from Nahid Rana to Mushfiq bhai (Mushfiqur Rahim). More than whether he is scoring runs or not, I look at how he is preparing. What is his thinking about the team? I am happy with the way that every member of this Test squad has prepared and been willing to give to the team," Shanto said.
Shanto also justified his decision to not bowl Shakib enough in the first innings. "I didn't really need him (Shakib) in the first innings, seeing how the three pace bowlers were doing. Miraz (Mehidy Hasan), too, was bowling well. It was my plan to keep the fast bowlers on for longer. We took six wickets quickly too," he said.