No World Test Championship final maths, captain Shanto's eyes are only on the first Mirpur Test

A place in the World Test Championship final is within reach, but Bangladesh Test captain Najmul Hossain Shanto is not thinking about the distant calculation. His focus for now is the first Test against the West Indies.

Bangladesh have performed strongly in Test cricket recently. They are now fourth in the World Test Championship points table, and Shanto's side also have a chance of reaching the final.

To make that possibility real, Bangladesh would have to win the two-Test series against the West Indies, and then win the series against South Africa as well.

Shanto does not want to come under extra pressure over the big dream, however. He said he is not thinking about the possibility of playing the Test Championship final in that way at all.

Shanto said: "I am only thinking about this Test match, just this Test match — not even about both Tests of the series together. As a team we always think about how we will play this match or this series. Because if we can win these kinds of matches or series, those goals will be achieved automatically."

He added that as a team they think in small goals, as they have done for the last year or two, and that not thinking too far ahead helps them play well on the field.

Shanto sees the possibility as inspiration, not pressure. At a press conference he said: "For me this is not pressure, it is inspiring. In Test cricket these kinds of calculations are coming up, and that is inspiring."

Shanto said they do not want to do anything extra, want to follow their own process, and want to give 100 percent to what they can do.

The captain said the main focus is playing good cricket in this series and winning matches. He also said it is important to keep their feet on the ground rather than getting too excited about the positive discussion outside the field.

He said what has been achieved so far is not enough, and that everyone in the team needs the mindset to improve by another 20 to 30 percent from here.

Bangladesh will play the first match of the series against the West Indies at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur the next morning. The second Test will be in Sylhet, from 5 November. After this series Bangladesh will travel to South Africa to play two Tests there. For now, however, Shanto's side are focused only on the Test starting tomorrow.