Australia captain Smith banks on India experience

Australia captain Steve Smith said on Saturday his team's experience in India earlier this year will help overcome the challenge of Bangladesh in the forthcoming two-Test series

"I think Bangladesh have played some very good cricket and they won a Test match here not very long ago. So we are seeing it as a big challenge," Smith said in his first press conference in Dhaka since arriving here late Friday amid tight security.

"Hopefully we can learn a lot from what we did in India and bring them into the game here and show some improvements," he said.

Australia visited India from February to March for four Test matches and despite a 2-1 loss in the series Smith’s men were praised for putting up a good performance.

Smith led his side from the front scoring three centuries to become the highest run-getter in the series with 499 runs at an average of 71.28.

Smith is now leading Australia for their first bilateral Test series in Bangladesh in 11 years.

Australia's last visit to Dhaka was with Ricky Ponting's team in 2006, six years after the hosts were granted Test status.

Bangladesh have emerged from that 2-0 series defeat as a decent side, winning their last Test at home and away, respectively against England and Sri Lanka.

Smith said conditions would be the biggest challenge for them in the two Test matches.

"The conditions are always quite foreign to us when we come to the subcontinent. The wickets are always different than what we are used to back home. It’s definitely going to be a big challenge for us,” he said.

The visitors are scheduled to play a warm-up match on August 22-23 before they take on Bangladesh in the first Test at Sher-e Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka on August 27.

The second Test will be played at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong from September 4.

The Aussies will leave Bangladesh on September 9 after the end of two-match Test series.

Source: AFP