The wicket of the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, where the second Test between hosts Bangladesh and Ireland starts on Wednesday, is under the spotlight as the visitors are hoping to adapt more after their drubbing in Sylhet.
Najmul Hossain Shanto-led Bangladesh took a 1-0 lead as they won by an innings and 47 runs in the first Test at the Sylhet International Stadium inside four days.
Historically, the Mirpur wicket tends to favour the spinners. It was more so evident in the recently concluded three-match ODI series between Bangladesh and the West Indies, wherein, in one match, the Caribbean side made history by bowling 50 overs of spin.
It will be the first Test after more than a year鈥檚 break in Mirpur, as the last game was in October last year when South Africa triumphed over Bangladesh.
Ireland played a one-off Test in 2023 in Mirpur, where they were beaten by seven wickets. Now, Ireland coach Heinrich Malan wants his team to compete more than that.
鈥楬istory shows us that it spins here,鈥� said Malan on Monday after their first practice session ahead of the second Test.
鈥業t鈥檚 a nice opportunity for us to come back here. We鈥檒l adapt from a playing-XI perspective and hopefully put a combination out there that competes for five days,鈥� he added.聽
He also said that his players now got a better understanding of the conditions.
鈥榃e鈥檝e got a fair understanding of the conditions. The more we play, the more people will work stuff out, and the quicker we鈥檒l get better,鈥� he added.
Irish batters were seen to employ a sweep-based method in the second inning of the first Test, where the wicket was relatively flat at the beginning.
鈥榃e鈥檙e trying to find that balance. It鈥檚 really making sure we take the understanding of the situation of the game, sum up the conditions well, and then find that tempo we want to be consistent around in Test cricket,鈥� said Malan.
The Irish coach also praised Mushfiqur Rahim, who is on his way to becoming the first Bangladeshi cricketer to play his 100th Test.
鈥楳ushfiqur is up early every morning, first on the bus, first in the nets, already doing warm-ups and hitting balls before others arrive,鈥� Malan said.
鈥楥onsistently putting in those hours when the lights are off sets you up to perform when it counts.
鈥楬opefully it doesn鈥檛 go too well for him over the next five days, but congratulations on this achievement,鈥� he added.
The two teams will move to Chattogram for a three-match T20I series after the second Test.
