Bengal Tigers will travel to the den of Lankan lions soon. The battle between two evenly matched teams is promising of a mouth-watering contest. The test squad for series has just been announced with the only surprise of Shuvagata Hom being preferred over tried and tested Nasir Hossain. Kayes is not fit yet. He may be fit again before the second test and will be considered for selection. Other 15 in the test team are an automatic choice.

The squad is Mushfiqur Rahim (C), Tamim Iqbal (VC), Soumya Sarkar, Mominul Haque, Mahmudullah, Shakib Al Hasan, Sabbir Rahman, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Kamrul Islam Rabbi, Taskin Ahmed, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Litton Kumar Das, Subashis Roy and Mosaddek Hossain Saikat.

There is a natural equilibrium that tigers and lions do not reside in the same forest or in the same region of a forest. In cricket, the history of the emergence of Bengal tigers and Sri Lankan lions has marked similarities at different times. Both have a very ordinary appearance in international cricket arena, the emergence of some top quality individuals, and brilliance in limited over cricket and gradual maturity in the longer version. But the major striking difference is that Sri Lanka has a very well laid out school cricket and age group cricket base. Bangladesh also started developing base with a revolutionary Nirman School Cricket. But that process put on halt at some stage. But otherwise, Mashrafe Mortaza and Arjuna Ranatunga have so much in common in turning around ordinary looking teams into strong teams in world cricket. Following the retirement of two maestros Kumara Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene a bit too early Sri Lanka is on rebuilding stage. Bangladesh may have worse experience when Tamim, Shakib, Mushfique, Mahmudullah and off course Mashrafe leave the scene at some stage. Bangladesh need to develop depth of quality cricketers which is only possible through strong domestic infrastructure.

Bangladesh is growing into a formidable unit in all formats of cricket with some established senior professionals and emergence of top quality budding youngsters. Tigers and Lions will soon lock into what many thinks fascinating duel in Sri Lanka. Bangladesh will play two tests, three ODIs and three T20 matches in the series. If recent tours of Bangladesh to New Zealand and India and Sri Lanka’s tours of South Africa and Australia are considered, the basis of preview the series promises of mouth-watering contests. Bangladesh is expected to win ODI series and fighting tooth and nail in test and ODI series.

Bangladesh was comprehensively whitewashed in all three formats in New Zealand tour and lost the one-off test match against India in India. But these were not merely one-sided affairs as one can get mislead from the results. Bangladesh created many opportunities but the lack of regular opportunities of playing abroad cost them losing all matches. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, could not create an opportunity against strong South Africa in tests and ODIs but it won T20 series in South Africa and later against depleted Australia in Australia. Sri Lanka also whitewashed Australia in tests in home series in not too distant past.

Bangladesh team management and selectors came under bitter criticism for ignoring some tried and tested quality players, messing up with final playing eleven, experimenting too much through changing and chopping. But the core group of 6-7 players remained unchanged. Tamim, Shakib, Mushfique and Mahmudullah have been playing for a long time to anchor the team to a much better position that what they have achieved. Why not have these players over 45 average in all tests and ODIs in batting? Why experienced batsman Shahriar Nafees and highly experienced spinner Abdur Razzak could not continue? Why quality all-rounder Nasir Hossain remained ignored?  Why can no Bangladeshi pacer still match Mashrafe in matters of control and commitment?

We believe the answers of all these and few more reflects the reasons for Bangladesh struggling for winning matches while playing abroad. Does Bangladesh have a settled side in any format now? Is the playing squad selected purely on merit and performance? I am repeating again 6-7 players in all formats are automatic choices. But, for the remaining 4-5 positions several fringe players have very little to choose. Here lie the challenges for selecting horses for the courses.

Tamim and Shakib are two of the few quality players in the team who should have won many more matches for Bangladesh shouldering the team in thick and thin. Not that they do not play brilliantly individually from time to time. But have they won matches like Sangakkara and Jayawardene did for Sri Lanka. The great player and good players have a marginal difference. Mashrafe and Mushfiqur commit everything when they play. But at least few times Shakib and Tamim in the recent past failed to deliver when the team needed them most.

Bangladesh is no longer playing cricket in any format for playing only. They must start winning more and make winning habits against strong opposition. For this, senior players like Tamim, Shakib, Mushfique, and Mahmudullah must show the way. At the same time, maturing youngsters must create pressure on these superstars. No one remains indispensable forever. Bangladesh for expected result against Sri Lanka must do soul searching before selecting the right touring squad.

What are Chances of Bangladesh?

Possibly this Bangladesh squad is strongest that will be visiting Sri Lanka. Batting has quality and depth. Bowling is balanced with some quality talented pacers and quality spinners. It will not be easy at all selecting the team for the first test. In Sri Lanka, Australia got whitewashed in test in not too distant past. If home team prepares wicket with low bounce and no purchase for pacers Taskin, Subashis, Rabbi and Rubel may struggle. But the inclusion of freak genius Mustafiz may give edge depending on how he tunes to the demanding longer version. If the wicket helps spinners, Shakib, Miraz and Taijul may not perform differently than Rangana Herath led Lankan squad.

The only other talking point may be how Bangladesh will endure the challenge of playing consistently well over at least 12 of the 15 sessions of the test? Will Bangladesh play with three pacers and two spinners or two pacers and three spinners? If they play three spinners who will be chosen from among Taijul, Shuvagata, and Mosaddek? Will Bangladesh risk letting Mushfique keep wickets? For the greater interest of Bangladesh, he must pilot the batting with his brilliance in front of the wicket. In such situation, Liton will be automatic choice of getting included as wicket keeper and late middle order batsman.

Depending on the wicket, of course, playing eleven would be selected but in the given situation with available resources, my suggested XI would be Tamim, Soumya, Mominul, Mahmudullah, Mushfique, Shakib, Liton, Miraz, Taskin, Rabbi, and Mustafiz.

BDST: 2145 HRS, FEB 21, 2017
SR