Dhaka -Bangladesh will play their first-ever historic one-off Test match against India in India from February 8-12 next year at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad.This is the first time that India will host Bangladesh to play a Test match since the Tigers getting Test status in 2000. Bangladesh played their maiden test against India in November 10 on the same year at Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka,UNB news agency reported.
The one-off Test against Bangladesh will be played a week after the limited-over series against England concludes in Bangalore on February 1.India is the last of the full members ICC countries to host Bangladesh for a Test. Bangladesh have only featured in two limited-over tournaments in the country- the Champions Trophy
qualifiers in 2006 and the World T20 in 2016.”As a leading Test playing nation it is BCCI’s responsibility to give opportunity to every Test playing nation. It is my pleasure to announce the historic one-off Test match against our neighbours –
Bangladesh early next year,” Anurag Thakur, the BCCI president, said according to ESPN Cricinfo. “This will be a great addition to our home season 2016-17.”Talking to the pressmen at BCB office on Wednesday, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Nazmul Hasan said “The long wait for us to play a Test match on Indian soil is finally over and this is a time for celebration, — I believe the clash between these two cricket crazy nations will catch the imagination.””This first-ever Test in India is certainly a big relief. It is just one Test match, it is nothing big. It won’t be doing much for the development of Bangladesh cricket. But this will be the first Test in India. It was a huge challenge for the board. It was supposed to happen earlier but we are happy that the date has been announced. At least we are starting to play there.” Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium was the home venue for Mustafizur Rahman’s IPL franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad.In head-to-head 8 Tests, India had won 6 of them and two were drawn.India faced Bangladesh last time was in 2015 at Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah. The one-off Test match was drawn due to heavy rainfall.India’s 2016-17 home seasons will include 13 Tests, eight ODIs and three T20Is; 13 Tests equals the world record for the highest number of Tests in a home season. Apart from Bangladesh, New Zealand, England and Australia will also visit during the season.
