Ireland coach Heinrich Malan lauded Bangladesh batter Mushfiqur Rahim as the senior campaigner prepares to become the first Bangladeshi to play 100 Test matches.

“Mushfiqur is up early every morning, first on the bus, first in the nets, already doing warm-ups and hitting balls before others arrive,” Malan said. “Consistently putting in those hours when the lights are off sets you up to perform when it counts.”

Malan acknowledged the historic milestone while keeping a competitive edge. “Hopefully it doesn’t go too well for him over the next five days, but congratulations on this achievement,” he said.

Ireland returns to Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium for the second Test after their debut at the venue in 2023.

With spin expected to dominate, Malan said his team is focused on adapting quickly and applying lessons from their previous encounter.