After finalising the starting line up for the first Test at Hotel Taj Samudra, Bashar was not concerned about a strong opposition but their own performance.

"Sri Lanka are recently playing good cricket but to be honest, we are not really thinking about them. Our main objective is to see how better we can bat and bowl. In the one-day series, we could not prove that we have progressed and that we can fight," said the premier batsman of the country.

"We just want to show that Bangladesh cricket is improving and we can fight back.

Defending a decision to give left-handed opener Shahriar Nafees a debut by dropping Nafees Iqbal, Bashar said that the team management had to think about a left-right combination.

"(Chaminda) Vaas brings the ball in. Against a left-hander, he will have to change the line. He will also be effective against Muralitharan's off-spin. The second reason is Shahriar has played this attack during the one-day series and is among the runs. Nafees' form is just not satisfactory.

"We are not experimenting with the opening pair. It's the order of the day because Shahriar is the first preference due to current form," Bashar added.

The Tigers skipper refused to admit that Bangladesh will go with a weak pace attack. Debutant Syed Rasel and Shahadat Hossain, who has played just one Test, was picked ahead of Talha Jubair, the remaining pace bowler in the squad.

Both Rasel and Shahadat, who have taken 21 and 23 wickets during the Bangladesh A tour of England.

"I won't say it's weak. They maybe less in experience but not in quality. Talha has played only seven matches and he has been out of the team for a long time. Rasel has been touring with the A team and bowled well here. Shahadat played a Test in England and the three-day practice match here. That's why we chose this pair.

When asked about Shahadat's performance, Bashar said that he did not found much difference between Shahadat and Talha.

"I am happy with Shahadat. On debut Test, any player can perform badly. But he took wickets in the A tour. We just wanted to go with those who have been in play.

"Shahadat is a strike bowler and can put a batsman on the backfoot. He is fast, can bounce the ball. Rasel is not as quick but as a left-arm pacer, he will have some advantage. But if someone is going to threaten the Lankans, it would be Shahadat," believed Bashar.

Sri Lankan captain Marvan Atapattu said after their training at the Premadasa Stadium that they had respect for the Bangladesh team.

"They are just coming up. We'll try and make improvements for our own game in these matches," Atapattu said.

TEAMS
BANGLADESH: Habibul Bashar, Javed Omar, Shahriar Nafees, Mohammad Ashraful, Aftab Ahmed, Tushar Imran, Khaled Mashud, Mohammad Rafique, Syed Rasel, Shahadat Hossain and Enamul Haque.
SRI LANKA (from): Marvan Atapattu (capt), Sanath Jayasuriya, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samaraweera, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Chaminda Vaas, Farveez Maharoof, Rangana Herath, Muttiah Muralitharan, Lasith Malinga, Russel Arnold, Gayan Wijekoon, Dilhara Fernando, Shantha Kalavithigoda.