BAN vs IRE 1st Test Match Prediction

BAN vs IRE Team Previews

Bangladesh

The Bangladesh team is going into this game at full strength. The Bangla team leadership will be in the hands of the likes of Litton Das and Shakib Al Hasan. Other top-of-the-line players such as Ebadot Hossain and Tamim Iqbal will return to the Bangladesh squad after missing the test series against India in December. Zakir Hasan made a successful debut in test matches for Bangladesh but he will miss this test due to a niggling thumb injury. In the place of Hasan, we will get Shadman Islam as a replacement.

The Bangladesh top and middle order batting will be in the hands of Mominul Haque, Shakib Al Hasan, and Najmul Hossain Shanto. Tamim Iqbal will come in as the opening batter while the lower middle order will be handled by Mushfiqur Rahim. These guys will be supported by Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Shadman in all probability. The Bangladesh spin bowling attack will be in the hands of Shakib Al Hasan, Taijul Islam, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz. The fast-bowling attack will be handled by the likes of Ebadot and Taskin Ahmed.

Litton Das had a good T20 I series against Ireland. He had the highest strike rate among the Bangladesh batters in the series. He scored runs with a strike rate of 198.52. Litton Das was also the top-most run-getter for Bangladesh in the test matches last year although he had to bat in the lower middle order most of the time. It was predicted by Russell Domingo that sooner or later Litton Das will get to bat higher up the order in tests. This might not happen in this test, however; it is about time he gets an opportunity.

Ireland

Ireland is heading into this game with as many as 9 uncapped players in their ranks. 3 of these players have not played first-class cricket ever. Ireland has just 4 survivors from the last test match they played way back in 2019. The Bangladesh players are far more experienced and they proved this by dominating the white ball leg of the ongoing series in Chattogram and Sylhet. Even this test has all the makings of becoming a one-sided contest. However, the 7-wicket victory in the last T20I would have given the Irishmen some confidence.

The T20I win was their first victory of the series as their batting, bowling, and fielding departments finally appeared to gel together well. One of the biggest contributors to the win was Paul Stirling but he had to return to Ireland and will not be playing this test as a result. However, the regular Irish captain Andy Balbirnie will return to the side taking charge of the team after taking a break in the T20Is. Ireland's team also boasts of PJ Moor who is a former Zimbabwe wicketkeeper-batsman. He has played 8 test matches but Ireland has played just 3 tests in all these years. Moor also has some experience playing in Bangladesh conditions in tests as he played a game in the Bangla nation in 2018.

The Irish bowling attack will be led by Mark Adair with the likes of Fionn Hand, Graham Hume, and Thomas Mayes supporting him in the fast-bowling department. The most experienced spinner in the Ireland side is Andy McBrine that also has a leg-spinner Ben White in the team. White bowled well in the T20I series and then there is the left-arm spinner on the side Matthew Humphreys. Ireland will visit Sri Lanka for a couple of tests after this one and it is a great opportunity for them to get used to the conditions that might be similar in Lanka.