Retaining No. 1 spot after B'desh Test is priority: Pujara

Hyderabad [India], Feb.6 (ANI): Cheteshwar Pujara, one of the India's batting mainstays, on Monday said that his side have played some really good Test cricket in 2016 and will aim to continue the same when they take on Bangladesh in the one-off Test match from February 9, here at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. India are currently standing comfortably at the top of the Test rankings, and Punjara insisted that his side will aim to maintain that spot when they host Bangladesh later this week. The 29-year-old, however, called on his side not to take Bangladesh lightly as they have been performing well in the subcontinent. "Well, they have been playing well in the subcontinent. So, I think that is one team which have done well against England. We can't take them lightly. But at the same time, we have played very good cricket in 2016. So, probably we would stick to the same. We are number one team in the world at the moment and we would like to maintain that. So the way we have played cricket in 2016, we would like to repeat the same thing in 2017," Pujara told the reporters. Downplaying assumptions that Bangladesh would have any disadvantage playing in India, Pujara believes his side will still have an upper hand in the upcoming match, given the way the Virat Kohli-led side have played last year. "I think it will be a fair contest. When we tour to Bangladesh, we have a similar experience playing in India. For them, I don't think the conditions will matter a lot. But whoever plays good cricket , they will get the opportunity to win this game. But probably we will have the upper hand because the way we have played cricket in the last year. Our fast bowlers bowled well, lower-order contributed well and batsmen have been batting well. One thing I believe that if we play as a team and if we play to our potential we will have the upper hand in this game," he added. India have had an impressive 2016 season, having clinched three-match Test series whitewash against New Zealand before registering a 4-0 win in the five-match series against England. (ANI)