As the team prepares for a two-match Test series in Bangladesh beginning October 28, 2026, West Indies captain Roston Chase has encouraged his squad’s first-time visitors to set aside any preconceived notions about pitch behavior. The first Test will be held at Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur from October 28 to November 1, followed by the second Test on November 5 to November 9 at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.

Joshua Da Silva, John Campbell, Jomel Warrican, Kemar Roach, and Roston Chase are the only five current West Indies players to have played Test cricket in Bangladesh. As a result, the majority of the traveling party is unfamiliar with the local conditions.

Prior to the start of the series, Roston Chase advised the rookies to trust their instincts rather than come with preconceived assumptions.

Roston Chase went on to remark that he does not believe the batting plan would be determined by a single tactical blueprint. According to him, each player should play to their strengths and adapt to whatever the scoreboard and conditions require at any given moment. While acknowledging Shai Hope’s absence, Roston Chase focused on the 15 players that were available.

What does Roston Chase anticipate from the Mirpur pitch?

Before the series, Roston Chase assessed the surface at Shere Bangla National Stadium and predicted what the pitch will offer over the course of five days. Following Pakistan’s 2-0 Test series defeat in Dhaka and Sylhet on wickets that provided pace and bounce before turning later in the game, there was a broader discussion in Bangladesh about sports pitch preparation.

Roston Chase claimed to have extensively analyzed the pitch at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, where the first Test will be held. Although there has been debate in Bangladesh about playing on sporting surfaces in Dhaka and Sylhet, where Pakistan recently lost 2-0 on pitches with pace and bounce but permitted turn later in the game, he expects the conditions to favor spin. The skipper explained his surface reading in greater detail.

He underlined that, while both teams play on the same field, the team that best responds to the conditions over the course of four innings will win.

In the absence of Shai Hope, how does Roston Chase rate the West Indies’ batting depth?

Shai Hope, who was rested after a hectic white-ball schedule during the West Indies’ tour of India in September and October 2026, where he scored four hundreds in both ODIs and T20Is, is not with the team as it travels to Bangladesh. Shamar Springer received his maiden Test call-up in place of Alzarri Joseph, who was also withdrawn from the tour owing to workload management.

With two won, eight loses, and two draws in twelve Test matches, the squad is now ranked eighth in the ICC World Test Championship 2025-2027 rankings. Roston Chase mentioned the batting unit’s recent success in putting up large first-inning totals as a source of confidence.

Roston Chase was also pleased with the Test team’s relationship, which he termed as the best-gelling unit in all three forms. The five-day format unavoidably pushed players closer together than longer tours. When the first ball is bowled on October 28, Chase hopes the squad can build on the West Indies’ 2-0 success in their most recent Test series in Bangladesh in 2021.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR