3 Bangladeshi youngsters who can hurt India in 2024 series ft. Hasan Mahmud
Until a couple of months ago, Bangladesh's away series to India for two Tests in the middle of the World Test Championship cycle would have hardly carried any context. Bangladesh have never beaten India in Tests, let alone coming close to doing that in the most arduous country to tour for a red-ball series.
But now, it's quite interesting. That's because until a couple of months ago, Bangladesh had also never beaten Pakistan in Tests, let alone whitewashing them at their -- far from a fortress but still a formidable home -- Rawalpindi.
Regardless of how much of that whitewash was down to Pakistan's poor decision-making, Bangladesh will come to India this month with belief -- which is often a bigger attribute than skill in high-level sport. At the centre of that belief is three top-performing, highly skilful youngsters who won't carry any baggage of old losses like their veteran teammates Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan.
Here's a look at those three:
#3 Nahid Rana
Being a consistent 145kph pacer allows you the luxury to be successful in every corner of the world. A lot of Indian batters who have played Bangladesh for years across the formats won't know how good 21-year-old Nahid Rana is.
The right-arm quick bustles through -- he has a versatile action -- and constantly hits the right areas with equal youthful intensity throughout his usually short spells. He, quite simply, make things happen.
The Pakistan Tests were his breakthrough, Bangladesh's announcement to the world that they have found a new gem. He was costly in his first innings of the series but slowly grew comfortable, ending the tour with a 4/44.
Nahid is still raw with little first-class experience, which is both his weakness and strength. Weakness because Mohammad Rizwan could hit him for a flurry of boundaries in the second Test when Pakistan were struggling and Bangladesh had to remove Rana from the attack.
But strength because, earlier in the series, Shadman Islam had dropped an easy catch of Rizwan on Nahid's bowling but he just smiled and continued to chip away. He might not play the first Test but would be like a potential wild tiger -- he might get tired easily and sleep or he might munch a few batters he comes across.
Whatever the case, India would need to be wary of him.
#2 Hasan Mahmud
Bangladesh's highest wicket-taking pacer against Pakistan, Hasan Mahmud is coming to India brimming with form and confidence. His eight wickets at an average of around 25 included a priceless five-wicket haul in Bangladesh's final bowling innings of the series where they bowled Pakistan out for just 172.
An all-format bowler, Mahmud, 24, is a skilful customer. His out-swing is lethal -- he makes the ball move for longer periods than most fast-bowlers in tough conditions -- but he can also hit the deck hard and make the ball snake away from right-handers off the seam.
Mahmud's isn't as quick as Rana but is extremely intelligent with his variations with the new ball and the old and hardly lets the batters feel settled for too long. His bowling style would suit Indian conditions.
Mahmud is also aggressive and always up-for-a-fight kind of character who would excel in moments where Bangladesh would find themselves at top for instance, after a good first innings with the bat. India would get the chances to attack him too again, because he's young, but they would need to be as prepared as possible to avoid giving him too many wickets.
#1 Mehidy Hasan Miraz
The intro that you read at the top would have been completely different if a couple of small edges had gone straight to Bangladeshi hands in December 2022 in Dhaka, the last time they played against India in a Test. The hosts had India in crutches at 74/7 chasing a sub-150 total and it took a Ravichandaran Ashwin 42* (62) and a Shreyas Iyer supportive act of 29* (46) to save them.
The man who led Bangladesh's efforts that day was the then 25-year-old Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who spun a web around the best visiting players of spin with his 5/63 in 19 overs. A little under two years later, Mehidy is one of the best Test spinners in the world and slowly progressing towards being among the best all-rounders too.
He can hurt India badly with both bat and ball, thanks to his penchant of standing tall is all of these historic moments. Even against Pakistan, he was the top-wicket taker in the series with 10 scalps and the fourth-highest run-scorer with 155 runs at an average of 77.50.
His skill is simply unquestionable now: he's gritty and gets stuck in when the going gets tough and is often the game-breaker for Bangladesh. But what India would have to be even more wary of is his hunger, because with better support from the upcoming fast-bowlers, and the confidence from the white-wash of Pakistan, he might rise as a true match-winner in India.