Bangladesh have won just one of their 44 matches so far since gaining Test status in 2000, and that too against a struggling Zimbabwe in 2005.
CHITTAGONG: India skipper Rahul Dravid believes a lack of Test experience will be the undoing of Bangladesh in their upcoming series.
The first of their two-Test series starts on Friday in Chittagong. India won a three-match one-day series 2-0 after the final game was abandoned because of a waterlogged outfield.
"Obviously it is going to be a bit more difficult for them in tests simply because they haven't played that much Test cricket," said Dravid.
"We have got players who have a lot of test experience. So we expect to do well in both the test matches."
Experienced batsmen Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly and leg-spinner Anil Kumble, who did not play in the one-day series, have joined India for the Tests.
Bangladesh last played a two-match Test series at home in April 2006 when they lost 2-0 to Australia.
The hosts have injury worries in the form of former skipper Khaled Mashud, while Mohammad Ashraful has just recovered from fever.
Captain Habibul Bashar told reporters he hoped Mashud and Ashraful would regain full fitness before the first Test, but conceded that a lack of Test experience was a concern.
"It's really worrying that we haven't played any Test cricket in over a year," he said.
"But it is the right time for us to return to Test cricket. We have been playing good cricket and the number of performing cricketers in the team has also increased significantly in the last year."
Since attaining test status in 2000, Bangladesh have played 44 Test matches, winning one, losing 39 and drawing four.
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