A resurgent Bangladesh will look to surprise mighty South Africa at their home soil, in the first Test starting Thursday at Senwes Park in northwestern university town Potchefstroom.
Though, their track record against proteas suggest otherwise. Bangladesh have lost all four previous Tests in South Africa by an innings, despite winning the toss on all four occasions.
In the absence of leading all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who was granted a break from Test cricket, Bangladesh will look to their two most experienced remaining players, captain Mushfiqur Rahim and opener Tamim Iqbal, to provide substance to their batting. Shakib has also been a mainstay of Bangladesh’s bowling attack, which looks short of experience without him.
On the other hand, at the Benoni, South Africa’s top batsmen were feasting in four-day franchise matches. Hashim Amla, Dean Elgar, Theunis de Bruyn and new cap Aiden Markram all scored centuries, captain Faf du Plessis made 96 and Quinton de Kock hit a half-century.
