DHAKA – Vice-captain Denesh Ramdin says the West Indies won’t be taking Bangladesh for granted during their tour which begins here next week Tuesday with the first of two?Tests at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Mirpur.
“[Bangladesh] are a team that on any given day can come and put up a good fight,” Ramdin told WICB Media.
“They have good players, but we are going to play hard. They are favourites in their home conditions, but we are confident that all will go well for us on this tour,” Ramdin said yesterday.
Prior to the first?Test, the West Indies oppose a Bangladesh Cricket Board XI?in a three-day match starting tomorrow in Savar.
“It is very important that we start well and not take them lightly. We have some good players in the fray, like Chris Gayle, Marlon Samuels and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, and hopefully, they can give us the impetus to do well in this series,” Ramdin said.
The wicket-keeper/batsman said that coping with the Bangladesh conditions, would be critical.
“We would like to win this series, but it will depend on the weather. Hopefully, we can all prepare well and adapt quickly to the conditions. It is very important that we keep the momentum from winning the World T20 going,” he said.
“Whatever the case, we will all have to adapt to the conditions. I believe we have the capability of playing longer innings, and all of us want to get out on to the field and be successful.”
Meanwhile, manager Richie Richardson said winning the ICC World Twenty20 Tournament last month was a step in the right direction, but there was still work to be done.
“We’ve been seeing improvement in all areas of our game in the last 12 months or so,” he said, on arrival in Bangladesh, Monday.
“We are continuing to work hard, not going to take any team or anything for granted. We see a long way to go in order to bring West Indies cricket back to the top . . . we are capable of being the world champions again,” Richardson added. (EZS/CMC)
