Haque wants to build on debut
Bangladesh batsman Mominul Haque is eager to continue learning at the top level after a positive debut against Sri Lanka in Galle.
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Mominul made an encouraging 55 in the first Test, though that was somewhat obscured by the achievements of others in a drawn match that saw eight centuries scored.
Tigers captain Mushfiqur Rahim even became the first Bangladeshi to score 200 in an innings, while Mohamad Ashraful returned to form with 190.
But behind all that Mominum made an assured start and wants more of the same when his side look to record their first ever Test win over Sri Lanka in the second and final match in Colombo on Saturday.
"There is a lot of difference between first-class and Test cricket," the 21-year-old told Cricinfo.
"I thought there were overs when I didn't face a single bad ball. I have to wait for the bad ball, and sometimes forcefully play a shot off the good ball.
"You need a high level of concentration, because you are not getting to play bad balls regularly. In first-class cricket you get three to four bad balls per over and you can decide when to hit a boundary.
"That relaxes you. But here you have to look for the boundary ball, wait for it.
"I wasn't too nervous but I was really enjoying batting out there. If you enjoy something the nervousness goes away."
Refreshingly for a new Bangladesh batsman elevated to the world stages, Mominul is happy to admit he is aiming high.
"I want to score big. I want to make more than I made in the first innings," he said.
Key batsman Tamim Iqbal is hoping to be fit after missing the series opener with a wrist injury.
Sri Lanka would be dissatisfied with anything other than a series win, meaning they must force the game more than they did on a lifeless deck in Galle.
They will be assisted in that by a more responsive surface at the R Premadasa, according to national curator Anurudda Polonowita's suggestions.
"It will be a different pitch from Galle," Polonowita told Cricinfo of his final Test wicket before retirement.
"I can't talk about it much, but the preparation has been going well, and I'm sure it will be a good Test match pitch.
"The pitches were slow and low, so I decided to redo all the pitches before the World Cup (in 2011). We took a very methodical, scientific approach and managed to prepare pitches that are much better now."
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