Big picture – lack of experience a worry for Ireland
Mark Adair will lead the bowling attack with Graham Hume, Fionn Hand and Thomas Mayes in the pace department. Andy McBrine is the most experienced spinner in the side that also has legspinner Ben White, who was impressive in the T20Is, and left-arm spinner Matthew Humphreys.
Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mominul Haque and Shakib will bridge the top and middle-order, with Tamim at the top and Mushfiqur Rahim coming in after that. But who will partner Tamim – Shadman or Mahmudul Hasan Joy?
Form guide
Bangladesh LLLLL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Ireland LLL
In the spotlight – Litton Das and Curtis Campher
Team news
Will both Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Shadman Islam start, with Tamim perhaps missing? Taskin Ahmed’s late withdrawal also means that Khaled Ahmed is likely to take his place. Uncapped paceman Rejaur Rahman Raja has been added to the squad as Taskin’s replacement.
Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal/Shadman Islam, 2 Mahmudul Hasan Joy, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto, 4 Mominul Haque, 5 Shakib Al Hasan (capt), 6 Mushfiqur Rahim, 7 Litton Das (wk), 8 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 9 Taijul Islam, 10 Khaled Ahmed, 11 Ebadot Hossain
There has to be a call between Matthew Humphreys and George Dockrell, who might lose out since he doesn’t bowl anymore.
Ireland squad (probable): 1 Murray Commins, 2 James McCollum, 3 Andy Balbirnie, 4 Harry Tector, 5 PJ Moor, 6 Curtis Campher, 7 Lorcan Tucker (wk), 8 Mark Adair, 9 Andy McBrine, 10 Graham Hume, 11 Matthew Humphreys
Pitch and conditions
Despite the notion that the Shere Bangla National Stadium only caters to spinners, the average first-innings total here in the last seven Tests is 446. The weather will mostly be dry, though Dhaka has seen the odd spell of rain recently.
Quotes
“We nearly won our last Test in this ground against India. It is our lucky ground. We have won Tests here before. We cannot take Ireland lightly. We respect them. We will give our best. The confidence within this team, keeps us in a good position. Since we haven’t won here for a while, it will be a good feeling if we can win.”
Bangladesh allrounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz on not winning a Test in Mirpur since 2021.
“It is an exciting group. Certainly get the whites back on, dust off the white pads. We know how good Bangladesh are in Test cricket, particularly here. It will be challenging but exciting.”
Ireland captain Andy Balbirnie on the prospect of playing a Test match after three years.
* 1400GMT The preview was updated after reports of Tamim’s possible unavailability emerged
Mohammad Isam is ESPNcricinfo’s Bangladesh correspondent. @isam84