Trinidad and Tobago batsman Barath is in line to make his test debut in the opening match in St.Vincent starting on Thursday.
"When I started playing cricket, I had goals from the youth level to the first-class level. I gave myself before the age of 20 years to make the West Indies test team," he told the Trinidad and Tobago Express on Tuesday.
"I think it's something that I worked hard to achieve. It was a challenging road for me, especially this year, to be consistent," he said.
Barath's consistent run-scoring ensured he played his way into contention as he made 990 runs in 12 first-class matches, including 132 for West Indies A against England in January.
Despite being frequently tipped for a call-up, the teenager said it was still a shock when he received the formal call-up from chairman of selectors Clyde Butts.
"I got a great feeling, I couldn't say much. I was speechless for a few moments when the chairman of selectors called and told me."
The mini-series against Bangladesh includes two tests, three one-day games and a Twenty20 match.
Bangladesh are ranked lowest of all current test-playing nations, as relative newcomers to the format they first played in 2000.
"A lot of people don't expect a lot from the Bangladesh team but I think they have a fairly good team. It's just for me to make the most of the opportunity," Barath said.
Barath was the latest young player from Trinidad to be given a chance in the full West Indies team recently following Lendl Simmons and Darren Bravo, brother of test and one-day all-rounder Dwayne.
He is joined in the squad for the first test by compatriot and seamer Ravi Rampaul.
