Bengal Tigers (Bangladesh Cricketers affectionately called) for their brave, fearless and admirable achievements in International cricket like most others are celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr in Bangladesh today. Their glorious and emphatic ODI series win against one of the leading team of the world in only days back made this Eid celebration all the more sweeter.

From and on behalf of Bangladeshis leaving abroad this writer would like to extend our best wishes to Bangladesh cricketers on this special day.

Enjoy your day with your friends, relatives, mates and well-wishers. In three days from now, Bangladesh will be again on the cricket frontier on a greater challenge against the ICC top ranked test team. We are optimistic that they will definitely prove better competitive this time. While playing against the top team of the world they have nothing to lose.



Mashrafe, the enigmatic captain in limited over versions the other day said,” Let me crack the myth surrounding us the cricketers now. We are not heroes, we are merely entertainers.

The real heroes are the liberation fighters. We did not sacrifice ourselves for the nation.  We only commit to give pleasure. It is the great freedom fighters of 1971 who pledged their everything at stake for earning us a liberated country, a nation and a flag.”

We as close witness of the heroic liberation war like to take our hats off to champion cricketer for his compliment “for the fallen”, the liberation war heroes. We would also like to have the privilege of terming Mashrafe and his tiger platoon as the modern day cricket front Bangladeshi warriors.

 For their great achievement, sporting world now admires and adores Bangladesh. Our cricket has already earned glory and reputation as impregnable team on home soil in ODI cricket. Even the strongest cricket nations now recognize the potential of Bangladesh for winning against any team on its day playing brilliant aggressive cricket.

Only few months earlier not many people knew about Mustafiz and Soumya. They came almost from nowhere. Now the world knows about the emergence of two cricket heroes of the future. How brilliantly the have rocked and rolled the cricket world! How brilliantly brave Mashrafe has lead the tiger squad from the front! We really loved to feel his nerve of steel in pulling the team out of a hole after losing three matches on a trot and roaring back in comprehensive wins. We could see the same spirit in the eyes of tigers that we were used to witnessing in 1971 war heroes.

It is a great compliment from a person who dared to commit his best as cricket front commander in chief for Bangladesh ignoring seven major knee operations. How spontaneously Mashrafe-led Tiger Squad rekindled the indomitable spirit of the liberation war? Quality, strength and past reputation hardly matters. One by back stronger forces in the cricket world England, Pakistan, India and South Africa were humbled. The ascending graph of Bangladesh Cricket keeps shooting upward. Over the last ten months, tigers kept getting bigger and brighter on a purple patch. How effectively Mashrafe has inspired the team? How the cricket has brought the entire nation in one platform?



We, who had opportunity of feeling the thrill and excitement of winning the liberation war, can also feel the same spirit when our cricketers appear against formidable opposition with the same “never say die attitude.”  Brilliant to see when Soumya Sarkar and Tamim fight shoulder to shoulder against the lethal bowling attacks of the opposition. We Bengalese irrespective of being Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists and Christians fought and shed our bloods together for earning the bottle green and red flag of Bangladesh. Now our brilliant cricketers are letting that flag fly higher and higher with every success. They are making Bangladesh feeling proud. The roaring tigers are making some critics digest their words of criticism. Bangladesh is no longer birds to prey; they are now birds which prey.

How Can Bangladesh Compete Better In Test Cricket?

Test cricket is the ultimate frontier where Bangladesh is still endeavoring in finding their feet. There can be many reasons. Test cricket is played over five days in 15 sessions. Apart from quality, skill test cricket requires patience, temperament, application and consistency, which only grow from playing quality longer version cricket on sporting surfaces. It also develops from regularly playing against quality oppositions. We know Bangladesh lacks both.

There are few players of great skills but domestic cricket format and wickets do not help assist development of quality test cricketers for consistently challenging strong oppositions. We can neither compare our cricket organization with that of Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, India or Sri Lanka nor can at all compare our domestic cricket infrastructure with the same in those countries. These are the reasons why Bangladesh is languishing almost at the rock bottom of ICC ranking in test cricket.

But things may start changing soon and who knows may start with a better performance against the ICC top ranked test team South Africa.


Bangladesh must not worry about ranking and the difference between the number one and number nine team. Cricket is a funny game where past records, reputations not always determines the competitiveness. Bangladesh in recent times has consistently overwhelmed mighty opposition, much higher ranked teams in ODI. There are no reasons why they cannot compete well in tests as well. But one thing for sure it will not at all be an easy task.

TEST SQUADS:

South Africa: Hashim Amla (c), Dean Elgar, Reeza Hendricks, Faf du Plessis, Stiaa Zyl,JP Duminy,Quinton de Kock,Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Aaron Phangiso, Simon Harmer, Temba Bavuma, Kagiso Rabada, Dane Vilas

Bangladesh: Mushfiqur Rahim (c),Tamim Iqbal (vc), Litton Das, Mominul Haque, Shakib Al Hasan, ,Jubair Hossain, Nasir Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Taijul Islam, Imrul Kayes, Mahamudullah, Mustafizur Rahman, Soumya Sarkar, Mohammad Shahid.

South Africa has definitely the best fast bowling attack at this moment, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander are the three fearsome fast bowlers who can make the best batting unit struggle with their sustained pace, deadly Yorkers, regular and reverse swing. The addition of new boy Rabada in the unit will give depth. The spin attack does not seem that great.

Bangladesh has seen Aaron Phangiso and JP Duminy. They did not look to us major threats for running down the Bangladesh team. The team has some new faces and unknown quantities. We are not so sure whether there are genuine spinners in them.

The real test of character for the Bangladeshi batsmen to bat with confidence against South African pace attack. There will be plenty of aggression, short stuff aiming at rib cages, toe crushing Yorkers and reverse swing at pace. Bangladesh batsmen should be extra careful in poking in their corridor of uncertainty and must not be unsettled for short pitch deliveries. There won’t be much free bees. We hope Chandika Haturusingha and Heath Streak will tune them well.

This batting attack without AB de Villiers does not look impregnable. But at the same time we must not also forget that Hashim Amla is too good a player not to get back in his brilliant best soon. Q de Kock, Dean Elger, du Plessis and JP Duminy are good batsmen having reputations of playing impressive test innings. Among the new players, there may be some quality talents. But Bangladeshi bowlers have already created some impressions on the South African batting .We think inclusion of Mustafiz and Nasir is also a positive move.



Bangladesh must not start with negative intent of playing for a draw. There is no way Bangladesh can confirm drawing even with 9 batsmen if the test goes into full duration against very strong South African bowling. It will not matter how slower and flatter the wicket is made.

With Rubel, Mustafiz and Nasir available for bowling Bangladesh now definitely can formulate a bowling attack that can have potential of taking 20 wickets in the test if the wicket is sporting. The selection of test squad will be crucial.

We hope Mushfiqur Rahim is fully recovered and he can perform all three duties the same way he did for a long time .That itself will make the team selection much easier .Bangladesh can start with seven Batsmen and four bowlers.

There are no reasons in Tamim and Kayes not giving good start. Off course, they have to guard against flamboyancy against Steyn, Philander and Morkel at the outset. Whatever brilliant they may be they will be a bit rusty early on. But that does not that they can be blasted away. It was a great sign that Tamim got back into rhyme in the third ODI. Little dynamo Mominul and cool as cucumber Mahmudullah at three and four has to build the nucleus of Bangladesh batting. Shakib and Soumya at 6 and 7 can consolidate the innings and produce something substantial. If Bangladesh goes with three pacers and a spinner, the positive move will be playing Leg Spinner Jubair, Rubel, Shahid and Mustafiz. Shahid as third seamer can bowl consistently well on longer spell. Mushfiqur can use Mustafiz and Rubel at shorter spells. Shakib, Jubair and Nasir and if required Mahmudullah can take care of the spin attack.

The greatest dilemma will be choosing between Taijul and Jubair. Soumya and Nasir .There can be two options to play both or choose one. Leg spinners are always wicket takers. In recent time, Yasir Shah has won matches for Pakistan against Sri Lanka. If Mustafiz is played, he will create some confusion in African bowling for sure. If Mustafiz and Jubair bowl in tandem, they can create some sensation with their mystery deliveries. Between Soumya and Nasir we will suggest playing Nasir for his greater utility as an all-rounder. Soumya in any case cannot bat at his favored position as an opener.

We cannot suggest that Bangladesh appears with two seamers as neither Mustafiz nor Rubel should bowl longer spells, Shahid should the used as third seamer to get the best out of the two front line attacking bowler. But if Mushfiqur does not feel comfortable for keeping wicket then Liton will get into playing eleven. Bangladesh will have to play without Nasir or play one pacer less.

Suggested team for First test would be
Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Mominul Haque, Mahmudullah Riad , Mushfiqur Rahim ( Captain and Wicket Keeper) , Shakib Al Hasan, Nasir Hussain , Rubel Hussain , Mohammad Shahid , Jubair Hossain and Mustafizur Rahman.

The good start in the first test is essential, as it will dictate the course of the series. Steyn and philander will have to get used to the pace and bounce of the surface. Bangladesh must exploit this opportunity.

Cricket admirers must keep in mind that Tigers will be playing the best team of the world. Even going down fighting with impressive performance will be an achievement. Anything beyond that will be a huge bonus, which in recent time tigers are consistently presenting to the nation although in other formats of the game.

We have to remember that one great team Australia will be coming next for playing two tests only. Bangladesh gets opportunities of playing top teams irregularly. Why not we test our skills and temperament on sporting surfaces against these two top teams at home?

BDST: 1023 HRS, JULY 18, 2015
RS