Indian captain Sourav Ganguly warned his team against taking Bangladesh lightly and looking for personal milestones during the two-match Test cricket series, saying the desire to break records should not affect the team's strategy.
"We cannot go into a Test match looking at records. Anil [Kumble] and Sachin [Tendulkar] are obviously the two players who are in sight of records but we cannot prepare for a match with such things in mind," Ganguly said at Dhaka on Thursday.
Ganguly said Bangladesh may not have an impressive track record but it was important to give them some more time to establish themselves.
"It is still early days for them. We have to give them time and people involved must be a bit patient. But we cannot take them lightly," said the Indian skipper.
Ganguly has still not forgotten the tough baptism he had as a captain against Bangladesh.
"I remember very well because it was my first Test as a captain. We were in a spot of bother after they had scored 400 and we were 200 for six in the first innings. We managed to win but Bangladesh did well despite playing their very first Test," Ganguly said.
The Indian captain was not unduly worried about the pitch at the Bangabandhu Stadium.
"The wicket looks a bit damp. It is winter time, so it is going to be foggy as well," he said.
Ganguly indicated that India was likely to field the same team that played against South Africa.
Bangladesh are hoping to better their performance of the inaugural Test and have prepared a batting track.
"Our batsmen have done better on bouncy tracks outside Bangladesh but they have not done well on low bouncing pitches at home," Bangladesh captain Habibul Bashar said.
The 32-year old right hand batsman, among the 11 who made their debut in 2000, had made a polished 71, while Aminul Islam became his country's first player to score a century in their first Test match against India.
The host captain felt that the track, while making things easy for his batsmen, would help his bowlers too.
"Against New Zealand, it was our bowling and fielding that helped us. Our batting wasn't good. So I would say bowling is my strength for the moment," he said.
The pitch, with its slow spin, might also blunt Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble.
"Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble are world class bowlers who can take wickets on any track. We have to counter them anyway," Bashar said.
Bangladesh coach Dav Whatmore is happy that India have arrived in full strength and expects his players to gain from playing against one of the top sides in sport. He defended his team's dismal performance and said the future of Bangladesh cricket was "rosy".
"Definitely it is disappointing (the series of defeats) but there is no short term fix. We are looking at long term," the Sri Lankan said.
Whatmore said the country had everything needed too support the game.
"There is no other associate country with the so much of interest for the game as here, as also the infrastructure and the talent. The ingredients are there, what is needed is a system and positive approach."
The home team will be boosted by the return of pacer bowlers, Mashrafe Mortaza and Talha Jubair, both of whom were coming back from a long injury lay off.
The 21-year-old Mortaza is rated as a genuine fast bowler and has taken 29 wickets at 35.96. He has played in 12 matches so far since his debut in 2001-02.
