Phil Simmons wants proper Test wicket against Zimbabwe

Bangladesh head coach Phil Simmons said on Friday that they want to play Test cricket on proper wickets rather than spin-friendly tracks as they prepare to take on Zimbabwe at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium from April 20. With the exception of Mushfiqur Rahim, most of the "fabulous five" no longer playing Test cricket, the Test series is being regarded as the beginning of a new era. Mushfiqur, who has played 94 Tests so far, is likely to end his career after completing 100 Tests and will be the last cricketer from his generation to represent the country in the longer format, an era largely dependent on spinners rather than pacers. "Our plan is to prepare proper wickets and try to play as we want to take the Test team in the direction. We are not required to prepare a spin track. Preparing a spin or seaming the track is not mentioned. It looks hard and really nice," Simmons said ahead of the Test series at Sylhet on Friday. "I have to say that he [Mushfiqur] has contributed so much to the cricket in Bangladesh. He and Mahmudullah have a significant impact on Bangladesh cricket. [Mushfiqur] is as professional as they come. He thinks he can get the runs that he deserves from the point of view of how much he is working. He desires success. He is working on getting better. He has had a phenomenal run against Zimbabwe. Let's make sure he gets where he wants to, in this Test," he said. "Preparation has been good. I think the facilities are like a dream. You can do what you want. It is close to the hotel. We have done a lot of things in a short time."Simmons added they are well aware that Zimbabwean pacer Blessing Muzarabani will be a key threat for them during the Test series but stressed that they are not thinking too far ahead. "He [Blessing] is a threat to any team in the world. His height gives him different advantages. But again, a number of the guys have played against him before, mostly in franchise cricket. They have an idea about him. They are making sure that they have a way of playing against him," said Simmons. "I don't know about a whitewash. We take one step at a time. We win the first Test, and then we start talking about winning the series. I can't look until Chittagong. I need to focus on Sylhet," he said. Since 2005, there has been a lot of progress. However, they must continue to improve in order to rise to the top three. We still have a lot of work to do," he concluded. The second Test is scheduled to be played in Chattogram from April 28.