Bangladesh vs West Indies 2021, 1st Test: Match Preview And Prediction

The hosts Bangladesh and the visitors West Indies will meet for the first Test of the two-match Test series from Wednesday (3rd February) at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium (Chattogram). This Test series will be a part of the inaugural ICC World Test Championship.

In this Bangladesh tour, inexperienced West Indies recently completed the three-match ODI series, where the hosts completed whitewash by winning all three ODIs comfortably. Now, both teams will try their best to start this Test series in positive way.

Bangladesh vs West Indies 2021, 1st Test: Match Preview

Bangladesh

After dominating in the home ODI series, the hosts Bangladesh will now take on the Caribbean side in this Test series. This series is a good opportunity for Bangladesh national cricket team to build up the side for the red-ball game, where they are still weak enough.

It will be their first Test since February 2020, when they won the Dhaka Test against Zimbabwe. As Shakib Al Hasan is fit, Bangladesh will start this Test series with their proper squad. Once again, Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim will need to play crucial role for the batting side along with their Test captain Mominul Haque. The hosts are expecting some better batting performances from the other players in this Test series.

While spinners will play an important role in this Test series, Mustafizur Rahman-led Bangladesh pacers will also try to impress during this Test series.

Full Squad

Mominul Haque (C), Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mohammad Mithun, Liton Das, Yasir Ali Chowdhury, Saif Hassan, Mustafizur Rahman, Mehidy Hassan, Taijul Islam, Shadman Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Abu Jayed, Ebadat Hossain, Hasan Mahmud

West Indies

Inexperienced West Indies team was not competitive in the ODI series in this tour. They will try their best to challenge the hosts Bangladesh in the Test series. It will be their first Test match after the New Zealand tour in last December.

This is also not the present best West Indies side in Test cricket. Captain Kraigg Brathwaite will have to take major responsibility in batting, who was not in good form during their last Test series in New Zealand. Vice-captain Jermaine Blackwood was in good form during their last Test series against the hosts New Zealand, where the leading run-scorer for West Indies played two good knocks of 104 and 69 runs. John Campbell also scored one half-century in that New Zealand.

In the recent three-day warm-up game against BCB XI, opener John Campbell (44 & 68) highly impressed along with captain Kraigg Brathwaite (85) and Nkrumah Bonner (2 & 80).

In that tour game, off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall bowled brilliantly during BCB XI’s first innings and got a fifer (5/47). Also, Jomel Warrican (3/25) took three wickets in that same innings.

Full Squad

Kraigg Brathwaite (C), Jermaine Blackwood (vc), Nkrumah Bonner, John Campbell, Rahkeem Cornwall, Joshua Da Silva, Shannon Gabriel, Kavem Hodge, Alzarri Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Shayne Moseley, Veerasammy Permaul, Kemar Roach, Raymon Reifer, Jomel Warrican.

Bangladesh vs West Indies 2021, 1st Test: Match Prediction

Observing the latest Test sides, Bangladesh are obviously stronger than the Caribbean team. So, Bangladesh are favourite for this Test. However, the first innings lead will be crucial to dominate in this Test match.