<p>Few expected Mominul Haque and his men to upset India on their home soil, but the tourists' back-to-back defeats, both inside three days, underlined just how much Bangladesh have stagnated in the long format.</p>.<p>Since debuting as a test nation in 2000, Bangladesh have played 117 matches and won 13, six of them against Zimbabwe who are currently 11th in the official test rankings.</p>.<p>The 2-0 drubbing they received in India follows similar losses in South Africa, West Indies and New Zealand.</p>.<p>Over-reliance on spinners, lack of quality pace bowlers and technical inadequacy of their batsmen bred on low and slow pitches are often blamed for their struggles abroad.</p>.<p>Mominul accepted the progress has been tardy though he expected a turnaround.</p>.<p>"You need quality pace bowlers to improve in test cricket," the 28-year-old said after beginning his captaincy tenure with a 2-0 loss against India.</p>.<p>"But we're now getting sporting wickets and quality pace bowlers are coming through the ranks. So I'm optimistic of improvement."</p>.<p>Regular exposure against strong opponents was necessary if the ninth-ranked test team wanted to move up the ladder, he said.</p>.<p>"We don't play top teams regularly, it's definitely one of the reasons...We have around 10 tests coming next year, so I think we can overcome these issues."</p>.<p>India counterpart Virat Kohli felt Bangladesh players possessed skills but needed frequent test experience to get better.</p>.<p>"If you play two test matches and then you play after an year-and-half, you won't really understand how to figure out situations or play under pressure," Kohli said.</p>.<p>"The board and the players have to figure out what test cricket means to them and that's the only way you can go forward."</p>.<p>Prioritising test cricket and offering financial security to players were crucial in the era of Twenty20 cricket, Kohli said.</p>.<p>"I'm not sure how test cricket is discussed in the Bangladesh board, how much importance it is given."</p>.<p>"If test cricketers are not kept at a good financial level, after a while their motivation goes down because some player, who plays 20-over games and is bowling four overs, is making 10 times what you make."</p>.<p>He said India benefited from central contracts which prioritised test cricket.</p>.<p>"You see why Australia, England, New Zealand have been strong for years - because their contract structure starts from tests and then everything else follows...That's something we figured out and now we can see the results."</p>
<p>Few expected Mominul Haque and his men to upset India on their home soil, but the tourists' back-to-back defeats, both inside three days, underlined just how much Bangladesh have stagnated in the long format.</p>.<p>Since debuting as a test nation in 2000, Bangladesh have played 117 matches and won 13, six of them against Zimbabwe who are currently 11th in the official test rankings.</p>.<p>The 2-0 drubbing they received in India follows similar losses in South Africa, West Indies and New Zealand.</p>.<p>Over-reliance on spinners, lack of quality pace bowlers and technical inadequacy of their batsmen bred on low and slow pitches are often blamed for their struggles abroad.</p>.<p>Mominul accepted the progress has been tardy though he expected a turnaround.</p>.<p>"You need quality pace bowlers to improve in test cricket," the 28-year-old said after beginning his captaincy tenure with a 2-0 loss against India.</p>.<p>"But we're now getting sporting wickets and quality pace bowlers are coming through the ranks. So I'm optimistic of improvement."</p>.<p>Regular exposure against strong opponents was necessary if the ninth-ranked test team wanted to move up the ladder, he said.</p>.<p>"We don't play top teams regularly, it's definitely one of the reasons...We have around 10 tests coming next year, so I think we can overcome these issues."</p>.<p>India counterpart Virat Kohli felt Bangladesh players possessed skills but needed frequent test experience to get better.</p>.<p>"If you play two test matches and then you play after an year-and-half, you won't really understand how to figure out situations or play under pressure," Kohli said.</p>.<p>"The board and the players have to figure out what test cricket means to them and that's the only way you can go forward."</p>.<p>Prioritising test cricket and offering financial security to players were crucial in the era of Twenty20 cricket, Kohli said.</p>.<p>"I'm not sure how test cricket is discussed in the Bangladesh board, how much importance it is given."</p>.<p>"If test cricketers are not kept at a good financial level, after a while their motivation goes down because some player, who plays 20-over games and is bowling four overs, is making 10 times what you make."</p>.<p>He said India benefited from central contracts which prioritised test cricket.</p>.<p>"You see why Australia, England, New Zealand have been strong for years - because their contract structure starts from tests and then everything else follows...That's something we figured out and now we can see the results."</p>