Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has announced a 14 member squad for the only test against India staring on 10 June.

The squad

Tamim Iqbal , Imrul Kayes , Liton Kumar Das , Mominul Haq , Mahamudullah Riad .Shakib Al Hasan , Mushfiqur Rahim , Soumya Sarkar , Taijul Islam , Rubel Hossain , Jubair Hossain , Mohammad Shahid , Subhgato Hom and Abul Hasan.

There are no surprises as the squad is basically the same that lost miserably against Pakistan at Dhaka test excepting that Rubel recovering from injury is back in the side in place of injured Shahadat Hussain. The omission of Anamul, Nasir and Shabbir from the squad has already raised debate in cricket community, social and print media. The views of chief selector stating strategy for not losing test on home soil as priority has also being criticized by experts.

Bangladesh we know is still maturing as test team .If they always start with a negative mindset from the outset how they can advance. If Bangladesh cannot adopt strategy of winning test against major opposition at home will they ever win against them in their country?  The ultra-defensive attitude and strategy is deplorable and disgusting. It is far better playing for win and losing than going down with negative mindset of avoiding defeat. Test played over 15 sessions over five days cannot be saved against a formidable opponent with negative mindset Chief selector said Bangladesh does not possess a test attack capable of taking 20 test wickets . If so what is their short and long term planning to try and achieve that strength? How long we have to hear this?

While explaining the background chief selector BCB told about insistence of Captain Mushfiqur Rahim and head Coach C .Hatura Singhe for inclusion of young leg spinner Jubair Hossain in the squad. The talented leg spinner, a very rare species(endangered in the word of legendary leg spinner Shane Warne) impressed many in his debut series against Zimbabwe . Many experts and analysts suggested including him the World Cup squad to exploit the hard bouncy pitches of down under. Head Coach and Chief selector argued over it. But Jubayer was not in the squad. His local team did not field him in local cricket .He did not have place in the ODI series against Pakistan and although he was in the squad he did not play in tests against Pakistan. Now weheard from chief selector that captain and coach has a plan with him. We hope Jubair will be in the playing eleven for the test as an wicket taking option.

Leg spinners are always wicket taking option and are considered an asset in any team. Pakistan prefers Yasir Shah even over world class of spinner Saeed Aajmal. West Indies included Devendro Bishoo in the test against Australia. We think Mushfiqur and Haturasinghe are on the right track in pressing for the inclusion of Jubayer .We are not suggesting that he will win the test against India but with him there will be added variety in the attack with Shakib and Taijul’s left arm orthodox stuff .

Chief selector talked about off spin. He explained why Sohag Gazi was not considered .He thought Gazi in his adjusted action has not yet
come to terms with himself. Many will not agree .Selectors thought Shubhagato as the best off spinning option at this moment.  His type of off spin will be bread and butter for strong Indian batting .With Shakib and Taijul sure to play and Jubayer as the preferred option where Shubhagato will fit in? Shabbir and Nasir are far better middle order batsman than him.Both are top class fielders.

Selectors considered budding aggressive batsman Soumya Sarkar as a possible third pacer. They announced plan to play him at number seven in the batting order. His type of batting suits top order and new ball. But in the settled top order of the test team he cannot find a place to bat. So playing him at late middle order will be waste of his talent. Rather it will impact on his batting in ODI in top order .Both Nasir and Shabbir are far better tried and tested late middle middle order batsmen.Playing Soumya  and making him bowl longer spell will burn his energy before all important ODI series where he will have much better utility at top order.

We understand that there is logic of not considering Anamul for the test . Liton Kumar Das is a prolific top order batsman in domestic circuit and he may have to keep wickets for relieving Mushfiqur from wicket keeping. Anamul also keeps wicket but Liton is a specialist keeper. If Liton is in the team there will be no room for Soumya.

The batting is pretty settled .Tamim and Kayes were in prolific form. Mominul is on the verge of another milestone; Mahamudullah Riad, Shakib and Mushfique are expected to bat well against Indian attack. If Liton is in the side he should bat at not below number four .Indian attack does not have a Wahab Riaz. Still there will be many short stuff. But we think Bangladesh batsmen can manage. The only worry will be dealing with Harbhzan and Ashwin. Left handed batsmen always have some issues against quality offies . Bangladesh must be content playing with seven batsmen including Shakib. If seven cannot deliver obviously eight can not . Bangladesh must have 5 bowlers including Shakib Rubel, Taijul, Shahid and Jubayer will make the eleven. Selector lost the option of a quality third seamer in not picking Al Amin in the primary squad .There is no logic including Abu Hasan in the squad excepting serving some vested interest. Abul Hasan cannot make the squad now on sheer merit.

The playing eleven if Mushfique ultimately does not keep wickets should be
Tamim Iqbal , Imrul Kayes , Mominul Haq, Liton Kumar Das , Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahamudullah Riad .Shakib Al Hasan ,  Taijul Islam , Rubel Hossain , Jubair Hossain , Mohammad Shahid ,

If Bangladesh has to mature as a test team it must change its ultra-defensive negative mindset of playing for a draw before the test starts even. It should be more so while playing at home as this is the right place to try and win test against major opposition .Bangladesh for a little while will struggle to win any test against major opposition on tour. Why not play positively and assess our capability against a very strong test team . We saved the Khulna test against Pakistan playing positive aggressive cricket. There is no point dying before death.


BDST: 0829 HRS, JUN 04, 2015
HB