New Zealand have a number of fresh faces for the upcoming home ODI series against Bangladesh. Their squad for the three-game series has four players – Adithya Ashok, Will O’Rourke, Ben Sears, and Josh Clarkson – with no experience at the ODI level. Of these, Ashok and Sears have represented the Black Caps in T20Is.

Bangladesh are set for a steep challenge in trying conditions in New Zealand as their white-ball tour against the 2023 World Cup semifinalists begins with the first of three ODIs at the University Oval in Dunedin on Sunday (Bangladesh time 4:00 am).

New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra did not exactly hit the ground running on his international breakout but went on to become one of the standout performers in his debut World Cup, setting records in his own way. The 24-year-old had a quiet tour of Bangladesh, not getting a game in the Test series but he has been keeping a keen eye on things. As he spoke with Abdullah Al Mehdi of The Daily Star after the recently concluded second Test, he discussed the Kiwi side's atmosphere, a terrific maiden World Cup, the Mirpur wicket, and more.

Taijul Islam, who spun Bangladesh to their maiden home Test win over New Zealand in Sylhet, spoke with The Daily Star's Mazhar Uddin, where he opened up about his views on getting overshadowed by his more prominent teammates and gave his two cents about the use of home advantage in home Tests. The excerpts are given below:

Bangladesh spinner Taijul Islam seemed to have had it with questions regarding fellow left-arm orthodox Shakib Al Hasan. 

What is home advantage for Bangladesh? The question has been one of the more acute ones in Bangladesh's Test cricket in the last few years as the team has failed to yield such advantage at home – an outcome pointing to a lack of long-term vision.

A gulf in the cricketing culture separating Bangladesh and a top Test side like New Zealand was once again showcased by how the two captains remarked about the Mirpur pitch, which staged the just-concluded second and final Test between the two sides.

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hassan Papon claimed that the rank turners as well as the low and slow that the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur boasts do not favour the home side.

Bangladesh let slip a chance to win their maiden Test series against New Zealand after succumbing to a four-wicket defeat in the second Test in Mirpur.  

Thanks to him, New Zealand added 134 runs in 24.3 overs on the day before losing their remaining five wickets, earning an eight-run lead.

When New Zealand spinner Mitchell Santner was asked in the press conference after the opening day of the second Test in Dhaka between Bangladesh and New Zealand f the match would progress beyond three days, he couldn't help but laugh.

New Zealand faced the music on a rank turner in Mirpur as they struggled on 55 for five at stumps, in reply to Bangladesh’s first innings total of 172 on Day 1 of the second Test at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Wednesday. 

Bangladesh left-arm spinner Taijul Islam jumped four places to a career-best 14th in the ICC Test Bowlers’ Rankings after his 10-wicket haul and Player of the Match heroics against New Zealand in the first of the two-match series.

Bangladesh's Mushfiqur Rahim became only the second batsman in Test history to be dismissed for obstructing the field in the second match against New Zealand in Dhaka on Wednesday.

An unbroken 70-run seventh-wicket partnership saw the tourists home

Bangladesh wrote a new chapter in Sylhet with their first-ever home Test victory over New Zealand. However, a much broader achievement awaits the hosts as the second and final Test of the series commences in Dhaka on Wednesday.

Bangladesh’s build-up to the first Test against New Zealand -- their opening World Test Championship fixture of the third cycle – had been murky given the absence of key stars. But the team showed that it could live up to the pressure of facing a big side such as New Zealand.

For the last few years, the chatter surrounding the pitch after a home Test for Bangladesh would usually be about its overtly spin-friendly nature or it having nothing on offer for bowlers.

When Shakib Al Hasan got ruled out of Bangladesh's home Test series against New Zealand due to injury, the hosts suffered a double blow as they lost their leader and their best all-rounder at the same time.

When Kane Williamson, centurion in the first innings, came to bat in the second innings yesterday, the stump mic picked up Bangladesh fielders riling Taijul Islam up with ‘this is your wicket.’