Bangladesh cricket captain Mushfiqur Rahim said they have improved "individually as well as a team" over the last few years and gave his side a 50-50 chance in the one-off Test against India starting in Fatullah from Wednesday.
Still looking for their first Test win against India, having lost six and drawn one of their seven matches so far, the skipper said Bangladesh will look to showcase their strength and confidence in the game.
"India are a good side, but I still think it is a 50-50 game," Rahim told reporters on the eve of the match at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali stadium on the outskirts of Dhaka.
"They have got quality spinners. If our batsman can handle them, I think this will be an exciting Test."
Rahim's men lock horns with India after trouncing Pakistan 3-0 in ODIs at home in April-May before losing the two-Test series 1-0. A draw against Pakistan in one-off Tests not only raised the profile of the side but also earned them a bit more respect from the opposition teams.
In their previous Test series against Bangladesh in 2010, India won the first match by 113 runs in Chittagong and the second and final game in Dhaka by 10 wickets.
"We may have lost both Tests five years ago, but there were some strong individual performances by us. We have improved, both individually and as a team. We are confident that we can give a tough fight," Rahim said.
Bangladesh, who were quarter-finalists at the recent World Cup, have lost 71 of their 90 Tests since attaining full status in 2000, winning just seven.
Rahim said his team should aim for consistency at the Test level.
"We have to be more consistent. We play well for two days, but let ourselves down over the next three days. We must now play session by session and ensure we win maximum sessions."
Rahim, who is recovering from a finger injury, said he will wait till the toss before deciding if he play as a specialist batsman alone and leave wicket-keeping duties to uncapped Litton Das.
