Bangladesh Test captain Najmul Hossain Shanto began Thursday's pre-tour press conference in an unusual way, turning the tables on journalists by asking what they expected from Bangladesh in the upcoming two-Test series against Australia.

Bangladesh Test captain Najmul Hossain Shanto believes Australia's decision to name a full-strength squad for the upcoming two-Test series is an achievement in itself for the Tigers, saying it reflects the respect they have earned in the format.

Zimbabwe also arrive with confidence after beating Afghanistan in a one-off Test in October last year.

“I never feared or doubted for a moment that we would not win.”

Throughout the two-Test series against Pakistan, the Tigers remained clinical in their cricketing craftsmanship and application of strategy.

Litton Das scored a sublime century under immense pressure in the first innings and backed it up with a vital fifty in the second as Bangladesh completed their first home Test-series whitewash with a 78-run victory in the second Test in Sylhet on Wednesday.

Pakistan pacer Khurram Shahzad struck a crucial blow in the opening hour after trapping Shanto lbw for 15 off 46 deliveries.

Bangladesh are not yet guaranteed victory, but they are firmly in the driver’s seat. Mominul Haque’s dismissal on the final delivery of the day slightly dulled an otherwise dominant session, but with three days remaining and the prospect of stretching their lead beyond 300, Pakistan may need something extraordinary to turn the tide.

Bangladesh stand on the brink of a laudable Test milestone, but as they prepare to battle Pakistan in the second and final Test in Sylhet, the Tigers may also need to keep one eye on the skies, with rain forecast to threaten play over the coming days.

Pace is power in Test cricket, and Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto is beginning to reap its rewards. With Bangladesh’s 104-run win over Pakistan in the first Test in Mirpur, Shanto equalled Mushfiqur Rahim as the captain with the most Test wins for the Tigers, with seven victories.

An impressive victory over Pakistan in the first Test in Mirpur on Tuesday has helped a host of Bangladesh stars make good gains on the latest ICC Men's Test Player Rankings, revealed today.

Rana getting the old ball to talk had even surprised his captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and Litton Das.

Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto produced a superb knock yesterday, scoring his ninth Test century during the opening Test against Pakistan in Mirpur on Friday.

Aggression is one thing, but controlled aggression is a different kind of menace. Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto’s century against Pakistan on Friday in Mirpur on Day 1 of the first of two Tests, part of the World Test Championship, was a perfect example of the latter.

In Tests, first-innings scores are often indicative of how a match will unfold.

Shan Masood on Thursday dismissed talk of "revenge" ahead of Pakistan’s upcoming two-match Test series against Bangladesh, insisting his side are focused solely on the task at hand ahead of the opening Test in Mirpur on Friday.

Speaking at a pre-match press conference on the eve of the first Test of the two-match series, starting May 8 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Shanto drew a direct comparison between the two pace attacks while acknowledging Pakistan’s traditional strength in fast bowling.

Shanto spoke about navigating that lean phase, whether stepping away from captaincy influenced his batting and more, in an exclusive interview with The Daily Star’s Abdullah Al Mehdi.

The following is a combined eleven, a list which sees the home side feature six players. The line-up is bowling heavy, containing four pacers and two spinners

Bangladesh sealed a 2-1 series win over New Zealand in Chattogram today, following a 55-run victory in the third and series-deciding ODI. Along the way, the Tigers set a number of records: