Test cricket remains an enigma for Bangladesh
Sunday, 1 January 2012
The cool and cool cup Bangladesh versus Pakistan cricket tournament 2011 drew its curtain last month. Bangladesh played one T-20, three ODIs and two Test matches, all in their home grounds, and they were comprehensively defeated by the visiting team in all the matches. Except the last match, the second of the two Test matches that was played at Mirpur stadium, Dhaka during December 17-21, it was all a sad story of dismal performance by the host side.
Until the second Test, it seemed that Bangladesh with the existing set-up and mindset of the team were not at all suitable or should it be said prepared to play international cricket, especially Test cricket. I had closely watched the two Test matches that were played in that series. Bangladesh had lost both the matches.
The first one they lost by a huge margin of an innings and 84 runs. The second match we should say was a close finish. It could have ended in a draw with a little bit of luck on the Bangladesh side. There were a number of controversial decisions from umpires and all except one went against Bangladesh.
As far as the second Test was concerned, Bangladesh had more than one reason to take pride in. One was the outstanding all round performance by Shakib Al Hasan in the first innings. He scored 144 runs and took six wickets. Second was the excellent partnership of 180 runs between Shakib and Shahriar followed by another 82 runs partnership between Shakib and Mushfiqur Rahim that pulled up the total for Bangladesh from 43 for 4 to 338 all out. Third was the 6th wicket partnership of 117 runs in the second innings between Nasir Hussain and Mushfiq-ur-Rahim that forced Pakistan to bat again before clinching a victory.
But all these outstanding individual performances were marred by the poor overall performance of the Tigers as a team. Their top-order batsmen failed once again for no other reason than their own follies. They were reckless, insensible and thoughtless, to put it mildly. Otherwise what else on earth could prompt Tamim, who had just opened the innings and on whom the team relied so much, to go for a wild chase of a short pitch ball well outside the off stump and get caught at slip in the first innings? Why did he have to go for a hook shot so early in the innings and fall victim to a wrong decision of the umpire in the second innings?
What could be the reason for skipper Mushfiqur Rahim, who was hitherto playing so nicely, to go down the wicket and attempt a lofty miscued shot to find himself caught out at mid-off and that also at a time when all that was necessary to save the match was to hang around the wicket for another hour or so? In fielding also they were not falling behind in committing hara-kiri. The way they dropped catches (seven in total) it looked as if they were competing each other in a drop-catch fun show.
To sum up the entire episode, the only thing that one can infer out of this Test series is that Bangladesh are yet to learn and believe that Test cricket is a game more of patience, temperament and application than anything else. Their batsmen forget the fact that Test cricket is a five-day match and it is more important for a batsman to be able to occupy the pitch for a longer period of time than just scoring runs. They have the ability, talents and youthfulness. What they don't have is the mindset to make good use of their talents and ability. No wonder, legend cricketer turned commentator like Ramiz Raza had to say, 'Bangladesh have talents and ability too but they are not temperamentally sound.'
True, Bangladesh is a young team. Its players' average age may be just about 23 or so. But one must not forget that they may be young in age but not so young in experience. Bangladesh as a national team has already played 72 Test matches and more than one hundred ODIs.
In this context, it may not be inappropriate to mention that there remains a lot for improvement in the overall team management of cricket in Bangladesh. Apart from improving the domestic cricket structure, especially for the longer version of the game, the selectors needed to be more consistent and thoughtful in selecting a national team. Take for example the case of Ashraful. Once he was selected for the Test series, he should not have been dropped halfway in the series.
Ashraful is undeniably one of the most talented batsmen Bangladesh has ever produced. Making a comeback is never easy. It is difficult for the player, however talented he may be, to control nerves when he is on trial. Even the commentators were surprised to see Ashraful dropped for the second Test. They thought Ashraful should have got chance to play at least the ongoing series.
I was also surprised to see pacer Shafiul Islam dropped from the Test and Mahmudullah Riad batting at number four. I thought either Mushfiq or Nasir would be a better choice for this position.
Having said all that might echo only the frustration of the cricket fans of Bangladesh, it will be unfair not to mention the positive outcome of the tournament. We have a player like Shakib Al Hasan who is now not only the world's best ODI all rounder in the ICC ranking, but also the best all rounder in Test cricket.
We have found two new bright and talented young Tigers, Nasir Hussain and Nazimuddin by name, who, by their excellent performance as debutants, were able to attract the attention of the cricket legends from home and abroad. We have players like Tamim Iqbal, Shariar Nafiz, Mushfiq Rahim, Junaid Siddiqui, Shafiul Islam, Illias Sunny and so on. They are young, brave and talented.
With so many players young, talented and courageous as they are and so much of craze for cricket in Bangladesh, there is no reason why the country should not turn out to be at par with the world class Test playing nations in the near future. It now all depends on how the cricket management of Bangladesh nurtures them.
The writer, Capt. Hussain Imam, is a retired merchant navy officer. He can be reached at email: himam55@yahoo.co.uk
Until the second Test, it seemed that Bangladesh with the existing set-up and mindset of the team were not at all suitable or should it be said prepared to play international cricket, especially Test cricket. I had closely watched the two Test matches that were played in that series. Bangladesh had lost both the matches.
The first one they lost by a huge margin of an innings and 84 runs. The second match we should say was a close finish. It could have ended in a draw with a little bit of luck on the Bangladesh side. There were a number of controversial decisions from umpires and all except one went against Bangladesh.
As far as the second Test was concerned, Bangladesh had more than one reason to take pride in. One was the outstanding all round performance by Shakib Al Hasan in the first innings. He scored 144 runs and took six wickets. Second was the excellent partnership of 180 runs between Shakib and Shahriar followed by another 82 runs partnership between Shakib and Mushfiqur Rahim that pulled up the total for Bangladesh from 43 for 4 to 338 all out. Third was the 6th wicket partnership of 117 runs in the second innings between Nasir Hussain and Mushfiq-ur-Rahim that forced Pakistan to bat again before clinching a victory.
But all these outstanding individual performances were marred by the poor overall performance of the Tigers as a team. Their top-order batsmen failed once again for no other reason than their own follies. They were reckless, insensible and thoughtless, to put it mildly. Otherwise what else on earth could prompt Tamim, who had just opened the innings and on whom the team relied so much, to go for a wild chase of a short pitch ball well outside the off stump and get caught at slip in the first innings? Why did he have to go for a hook shot so early in the innings and fall victim to a wrong decision of the umpire in the second innings?
What could be the reason for skipper Mushfiqur Rahim, who was hitherto playing so nicely, to go down the wicket and attempt a lofty miscued shot to find himself caught out at mid-off and that also at a time when all that was necessary to save the match was to hang around the wicket for another hour or so? In fielding also they were not falling behind in committing hara-kiri. The way they dropped catches (seven in total) it looked as if they were competing each other in a drop-catch fun show.
To sum up the entire episode, the only thing that one can infer out of this Test series is that Bangladesh are yet to learn and believe that Test cricket is a game more of patience, temperament and application than anything else. Their batsmen forget the fact that Test cricket is a five-day match and it is more important for a batsman to be able to occupy the pitch for a longer period of time than just scoring runs. They have the ability, talents and youthfulness. What they don't have is the mindset to make good use of their talents and ability. No wonder, legend cricketer turned commentator like Ramiz Raza had to say, 'Bangladesh have talents and ability too but they are not temperamentally sound.'
True, Bangladesh is a young team. Its players' average age may be just about 23 or so. But one must not forget that they may be young in age but not so young in experience. Bangladesh as a national team has already played 72 Test matches and more than one hundred ODIs.
In this context, it may not be inappropriate to mention that there remains a lot for improvement in the overall team management of cricket in Bangladesh. Apart from improving the domestic cricket structure, especially for the longer version of the game, the selectors needed to be more consistent and thoughtful in selecting a national team. Take for example the case of Ashraful. Once he was selected for the Test series, he should not have been dropped halfway in the series.
Ashraful is undeniably one of the most talented batsmen Bangladesh has ever produced. Making a comeback is never easy. It is difficult for the player, however talented he may be, to control nerves when he is on trial. Even the commentators were surprised to see Ashraful dropped for the second Test. They thought Ashraful should have got chance to play at least the ongoing series.
I was also surprised to see pacer Shafiul Islam dropped from the Test and Mahmudullah Riad batting at number four. I thought either Mushfiq or Nasir would be a better choice for this position.
Having said all that might echo only the frustration of the cricket fans of Bangladesh, it will be unfair not to mention the positive outcome of the tournament. We have a player like Shakib Al Hasan who is now not only the world's best ODI all rounder in the ICC ranking, but also the best all rounder in Test cricket.
We have found two new bright and talented young Tigers, Nasir Hussain and Nazimuddin by name, who, by their excellent performance as debutants, were able to attract the attention of the cricket legends from home and abroad. We have players like Tamim Iqbal, Shariar Nafiz, Mushfiq Rahim, Junaid Siddiqui, Shafiul Islam, Illias Sunny and so on. They are young, brave and talented.
With so many players young, talented and courageous as they are and so much of craze for cricket in Bangladesh, there is no reason why the country should not turn out to be at par with the world class Test playing nations in the near future. It now all depends on how the cricket management of Bangladesh nurtures them.
The writer, Capt. Hussain Imam, is a retired merchant navy officer. He can be reached at email: himam55@yahoo.co.uk