Bangladesh captain Mominul Haque on Thursday shared that his team lacked the mental strength which is required to face India’s dangerous pace attack. Bangladesh were bowled out for 150 after electing to bat with Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav took seven wickets between them.

“The wicket wasn’t unplayable at all or else myself or Mushfiqur (Rahim) wouldn’t have scored the runs that we scored. The problem is that when you are playing the world’s No. 1 Test team, you have to be mentally far more stronger,” Mominul Haque said. “If we had started well, the question wouldn’t have been asked in first place.”

“Personally, I have played nine first-class games in the last five months and that’s good enough preparation I believe. Yes, what is different is the quality of bowling that we are facing. Obviously, at the international level, it will go up by a few notches. But then you don’t expect bowlers to bowl at 120 or 130 clicks at this level. It is a 100 percent mental thing,” said Mominul.

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The young captain, on his first day as Test captain, faced a couple of tricky questions which included why Mushfiqur, who is not keeping, is coming in at No. 5 instead of No. 4 in the line-up?

“It was a decision of the team management that he should come in at No. 5. I also feel that he is better suited at No. 5.”

He later termed his own dismissal as a “tactical error” as well.

“I am responsible as I had a good partnership with Mushfiqur. I should have continued.”

“I have faith in everyone. Let’s be practical. They have already scored 80 plus. We are lagging far behind and it will be very difficult to save the game from this situation,” Mominul Haque added.