Saif Hasan eyes opening spot as Bangladesh begin training for Sri Lanka Tests

Bangladesh team started their preparation for the upcoming two-match Test series against Sri Lanka on Thursday after completing their three-day room quarantine in Negombo quarantine center. Visitors were allowed to take part in the practice session after twice testing negative for COVID-19 following their arrival in Sri Lanka on April 12. Tourists are expected to play an intra-squad practice game scheduled on April 17-18 at CMC, Katunayake before the team management finalizes the final squad for the Test. Bangladesh have brought along additional bowlers with the squad as the home board will not be providing any net bowlers for their practice sessions. Test opener Saif Hasan, who missed to make a cut in the playing XI against West Indies at home recently despite an injury to Sadman Islam, is looking to make his way back through a good performance in the practice game. The right handed batsman added that though he did not play against the West Indies he was brimming with confidence following his stint with Bangladesh A against Ireland Wolves and in the National Cricket League, country's traditional first-class competition. Saif scored a century against Ireland Wolves in the five-match one-day series (120) while he carried on the form in the NCL as well, making 235 runs in four innings for Dhaka Division that includes a century (127) and a fifty. ''Naturally when you are scoring runs there is a confidence and I think my batting preparation was top notch along with my fitness and though I did not play matches (against West Indies) but had good practice session in the national nets,'' said Saif. ''Later, I had played a very good series against the Ireland Wolves and before coming here, I had a good preparation in the NCL. So I am carrying the confidence and if I get a chance, I will try to capitalize it,'' he said. ''The practice match ahead of us is very important for us, as it is the sole opportunity for us to get used with the condition,'' he said. ''We are expected to get a full idea about how the wicket is going to act through playing the practice match and we need to cash-in the knowledge that we earned from the practice game regarding the condition and the wicket in the Test matches,'' he said. Bangladesh chief selector Minhajul Abedin told Cricbuzz on Thursday that their biggest challenge at the moment is to adapt with the hot and humid weather but added that they had a good practice in the opening day. ''The hot and humid weather is our biggest challenge but we are happy with the preparation,'' said Minhajul. ''I think bringing the extra bowlers are helping us as we practiced all our own as there were no net bowlers and all those stuff but players looked really boost up to take the challenge against Sri Lanka,'' he said. The first Test will be played from April 21-25 while the second game will be held from April 29-May 3, with both games to be played in Pallekele.