Bangladesh head coach Phil Simmons yesterday said that he does not want to smother Zimbabwe with spin, rather he wants to face them on a 'proper wicket' in the first Test in Sylhet starting on Sunday.

The Tigers' think tank often prepare spin traps for opponents in home Tests. But this ploy does not always come through, for instance, in the last home Test series against New Zealand they tried this formula but the Bangladesh batters could not counter Kiwi spinners.

On the back of their most successful campaign in the ICC Test Championship, where they secured four wins, Bangladesh now wants to carry on with the same momentum in the upcoming two-Test series, which is not part of the cycle, on fair wickets.

"Our plan is to prepare proper wickets and try to play as we want to take the Test team in that direction. We don't necessarily have to prepare a spin track. There's no talk of preparing a spin or seaming track," Simmons told reporters in Sylhet yesterday.

While ace paceman Taskin Ahmed is out injured, Tigers can bank on the pace of Nahid Rana, Tanzim Sakib, Khaled Ahmed and Hasan Mahmud. There was a question over whether a left-arm pacer like Shoriful Islam would have been handy but Simmons was happy with the pacers on offer.

"It is good to have a left-arm pacer nowadays in international cricket, but if you don't, as long as you have two or three quality right-arm pace bowlers. We are happy with the four quicks we have in the team right now," said Simmons.

"Nahid Rana has the pace that most fast bowlers are dying for. If he is bowling in the right areas, he is definitely going to trouble batters," he added.

The Tigers will have to find replacements for key veteran stars who are coming into the final stage of their careers. Mushfiqur Rahim has appeared in 94 Tests and might be eying a 100th before calling time. The 37-year-old has been preparing well ahead of the first Test according to the head coach.

"[Mushfiqur] is as professional as they come. He thinks he can get the runs that he deserves from the point of view of how much he is working. He wants to do well. He is working on being in good nick. He has had a phenomenal run against Zimbabwe," he said.

Mushfiqur has informed the management he will not be keeping wickets and Mahidul Islam and Jaker Ali are waiting on the wings to show their mettle behind the stumps. Simmons said the team are still in the phase of making that decision and will finalise it a day before the game.

The Tigers would also be on the lookout for solidity at the top, especially the opening pair. The management has three opening options in Zakir Hasan, Shadman Islam and Mahmudul Hasan Joy and any two of them will get the chance to stake their claim on a surface that is likely to reward pacers.