Tigers seek home lift against West Indies amid injury concerns

Bangladesh will begin their two-Test series against West Indies in Mirpur today (Wednesday) with their World Test Championship ambitions in focus, but the build-up has been complicated by a late change to the coaching set-up and concerns over player fitness.

Head coach Phil Simmons has sought to keep attention on the cricket after the Bangladesh Cricket Board reassigned batting coach Mohammad Ashraful to another role and appointed Mohammad Salahuddin to oversee the batting unit on an interim basis.

The change, coming just days before the opening Test, prompted questions about whether the timing could affect preparations. Simmons, however, has played down the prospect of disruption, maintaining that the recent meeting between BCB president Tamim Iqbal and senior players was aimed at the broader development of Bangladesh cricket rather than the upcoming series.

The coach has made clear that the team's immediate focus is on the field, with the opportunity to reach the WTC final providing a major incentive. Bangladesh currently sit fourth in the standings and have six matches remaining in the cycle, including the two Tests against West Indies and a subsequent tour of South Africa.

"We should have won" the recent Test against Afghanistan, Simmons indicated in his assessment of the drawn match, while arguing that Bangladesh had not misread the situation. The improving pitch and missed chances in the field, including a missed run-out and dropped catches, had helped Afghanistan survive.

That missed opportunity makes a strong start against West Indies particularly important. Bangladesh will hope home conditions help them make up ground in the WTC race, although the visitors have shown they can compete in challenging Test series.

There is encouragement for the home side in the return of fast bowler Taskin Ahmed, who was rested for the Afghanistan Test. But Bangladesh will be without Nahid Rana, ruled out of the West Indies series after being diagnosed with a labrum tear. His absence leaves greater responsibility on Taskin, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam and Ebadot Hossain.

Wicketkeeper-batter Litton Das, who missed the recent ODI tri-series in the United Arab Emirates with a hip injury, is expected to be available for the opener, according to Simmons. His inclusion would strengthen a batting line-up that will need to convert promising positions into match-winning contributions.

The first Test runs from October 28 to November 1 in Mirpur, with the second scheduled for November 5-9 in Sylhet. For Bangladesh, the series offers more than home points: it is a chance to show that off-field changes will not derail their campaign to reach a first WTC final.