Chittagong, January 16: Explosive India all-rounder and vice captain Virender Sehwag termed Bangladesh as an ordinary Test team and said will not be able to repeat the ODI upsets they are capable of.
India, the world’s top ranked Test side, face Bangladesh in a two-Test series, the first of which starts in Chittagong on Sunday. Sehwag could not see the hosts springing a surprise victory overIndia.
“I don’t think so. In One-day (cricket) they can surprise anybody but not in Test matches. It’s an ordinary side,” Sehwag said at a news conference ahead of first Test.
“It’s difficult for Bangladesh to take 20 Indian wickets. The kind of batting line up we have, I don’t think so. Even Sri Lanka can’t do that. So it’s very very difficult for Bangladesh.”
Bangladesh have won only three of their 61 Tests, drawing six matches and losing 52 since they gained Test status in June 2000.
They have lost all but one of their previous Test matches against India. The only time India failed to win was a rain-forced draw in Chittagong in May 2007.
The tourists climbed to the top of the Test rankings for the first time in December after winning a three-Test series against Sri Lanka 2-0.
India are scheduled to play only four Test matches in 11 months, which means their stay at the top of the rankings could be a short one.
Sehwag said the team were focused on the Test match, not their world ranking.
“We are not thinking that we are number one, number two or number three,” he added. “We have to play well, we have to give our individual performances and our job is to play well.”
–Agencies