Year 2018 is only one sunset away. Bangladesh cricket will enter a new phase under new coach and new test captain in 2018 with dreams of redeeming and salvaging pride.
After all year 2017 in international cricket did not end all with comprehensive white wash in all formats in South Africa. The controversial head coach Australia living Sri Lankan Chandika Hathurusingha resigned with his missions unfulfilled. He is not set his new assignment as head coach of his own country Sri Lanka against Bangladesh in Bangladesh.
There had been so much talks in media in post mortem of team tigers abysmal performance in South Africa. These were not unexpected after Bangladesh performing well against Sri Lanka on tour and against strong Australia at home. The year 2017 also started with series white wash in New Zealand. But there at least Bangladesh competed admirably in alien conditions.
Following that the one off test in India was also not good. But Bangladesh did exceptionally well the champions trophy in England .Against all odds it reached semi final. In Sri Lanka tour Bangladesh won the centenary test, drew series in all three formats. But there the charismatic captain Mashrafe surprisingly announced retirement from T20 international.
Let us try reflecting upon year 2017 of team Tigers.
Bangladesh in New Zealand
There were greater expectations from tigers establishing credentials in bouncy seaming wickets in alien conditions in New Zealand after its strong showing in home condition. Of course teams from South Asia always struggle in tour to Australia New Zealand. There were some logics. In 2015 world cup Bangladesh was the only team that could stretch New Zealand in New Zealand.
The team also possessed a strong pace bowling attack who could have exploited the condition. But in general team tigers failed to live up to the billing. Bangladesh lost all matches of T20, ODI and test series.The only highlight was brilliant batting of Shakib and Mushfiq in a test. Shakib scored a punishing double century and Mushfiq a century. Their partnership was a record for Bangladesh.
Bangladesh in Champions Trophy
Being placed in a very strong group with Australia, New Zealand and host England not much was expected from team tigers. Moreover, in early summer in England teams from South Asia traditionally struggle. Bangladesh went to UK much earlier and appeared in a tri nation ODI tournament in Ireland featuring also New Zealand apart from the host. It provided the players with opportunities to acclimatize although conditions in Ireland were not exactly similar.
Bangladesh came second in three nations tournament. The Champions trophy saw a major surprise as Bangladesh qualified for semifinals ahead of Australia and New Zealand. Bangladesh lost the first match against England. The second match was rained out. Bangladesh won against New Zealand through record breaking brilliant batting of Shakib and Riyad both scoring scintillating centuries. But Bangladesh eventually lost the semi final against India.
Test Against India Was a Disappointment
At long last India hosted Bangladesh in one off test series at Hyderabad. Lot was expected from it. But Bangladesh disappointed losing by a huge margin. Poor batting, bowling and fielding gave a wrong message to Indian crowd about growing stature of Bangladesh in test cricket.
Sri Lanka Tour Was A Big Success
Though it created few controversies but over all the tour was a great success. The growing tensions in Bangladesh camp came to surface .For the first time cricket world knew that head coach had some issues with senior players. Shakib,Tamim, Mashrafe, Mushfiq and Mahmuduallah had some say about the autocratic manner in which team was being managed. They had meeting with Board chief in Sri Lanka.
Still Bangladesh won a match each in Test, ODI and T20 and drew all three series. However, Mashrafe opted resign from T20 international seemingly from disagreement with team management. He did not like the way team management was devaluating the performance of senior players.
High Point of 2017 Was Win Against Australia
Prior to the series Australian Cricketers were in head to head collision with Cricket Australia. This was a bit frustrating for Bangladesh Cricket admirers as after beating England in Bangladesh they were expecting Australia for a long time. In 2015 a scheduled Australian visit was suspended at the last minute. How ice melted and Australia went to Bangladesh
From the fall out of Sri Lanka tour Mahmudullah and Mominul were not included against Australia in two matches test series. Both were among the main performers and there were apparently no reasons for dropping them. Following strong media and cricket admirers’ criticism Mominul was included. On hot humid summer days on a slow turning wicket Bangladesh managed to beat strong Australia in the first test in Dhaka.
Tamim and Shakib batted brilliantly and Shakib bowled exceptionally well. The possibility of historic series win against strong Australia was created. But inconsistent Bangladesh played very poorly in Chittagong letting Australia squaring the series. One could feel the uneasy situation in the dressing room in every session Bangladesh appeared however .The team was being dictated through remote control.
South Africa Tour Was a Disaster
It is known to all that all teams struggle in South Africa. The wickets and conditions favor fast bowling and teams need different skills and technique to survive there .It has been no different to Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka. Only Australia and England won series there. Still Bangladesh made little preparation. One of its top player Shakib Al Hasan opted out from test series surprisingly and he was granted leave of absence.
Bangladesh plays not too many tests and not too many international matches which can cause players taking rest. Even the tour schedule was poor. Two tests were scheduled before ODI and T20 series. Minus Shakib Bangladesh was weaker. Bangladesh won the toss in both the test and surprisingly opted to field against strong South African batting with weak bowling attack. Mushfiq was heavily dictated in setting fielding, bowling changes and batting order. Consequently Bangladesh lost both the test by huge margins. The fate of the team did not change in ODI and T20 although Shakib and Mashrafe joined. The morale of the team dipped down all time low.
Shockingly head coach Hathurusingha returned to his Australian abode and sent resignation letter instead of returning with the team and submitting report. It was a very unprofessional gesture of a professional coach who enjoyed extraordinary authority unheard of in modern day cricket.
It is true that during his tenure as head coach Bangladesh cricket attained new heights. But these mostly came from strong performance of senior players like Mashrafe, Mushfiq, Shakib, Tamim and Mahmudullah. Hathuru had issues with all of them. He led the careers of few senior players and many emerging players to the brink. He created mistrust among the team. The way he exited from the team is the work of a “FUGITIVE.”
Year 2018 will start with a tri nation series featuring Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka. Bangladesh is firm favorite. That will be followed with full series against Sri Lanka .Haturasinghe will be haed coach of Sri Lanka. It will acid test of both him and Team Tigers.
BDST: 0921 HRS, DEC 31, 2017
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