The early 2021 Cricket Challenge of Bangladesh is against the second tier much weakened Team from Caribbean Islanders West Indies. Even the full-strength West Indies now is a shadow of its glorious past of 1970s and 1980s. 

In T20 franchise cricket they have rock and roll players but in Tests and ODI they are no longer a formidable force. In the excuse of COVID 19 pandemic and personal reasons most of the leading players of West Indies opted out from the Bangladesh tour of two tests and three ODIs. The understrength West Indies can still pose huge challenge for Bangladesh as the home team has not played any international cricket during this pandemic, neither the players played any longer version cricket in domestic circuit as well. Prior to COVID outbreak Team Bangladesh excepting the huge wins against weak Zimbabwe was looking very poor in all formats since ICC World Cup 2019. In this situation even the staunchest of Bangladesh Cricket supporters would dare terming Bangladesh favorite for winning test or ODI series. 

Squads 
West Indies Test Squad: Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Jermaine Blackwood (vice-captain), Nkrumah Bonner, John Campbell, Rahkeem Cornwall, Joshua Da Silva, Shannon Gabriel, Kavem Hodge, Alzarri Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Shayne Moseley, Veerasammy Permaul, Kemar Roach, Raymon Reifer, Jomel Warrican.

West Indies ODI Squad: Jason Mohammed (captain), Sunil Ambris (vice-captain), Nkrumah Bonner, Joshua Da Silva, Jahmar Hamilton, Chemar Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Andre McCarthy, Kjorn Ottley, Rovman Powell, Raymon Reifer, Romario Shepherd, Hayden Walsh Jr.

Bangladesh: 
ODI Squad 
Tamim Iqbal Khan, Taskin Ahmed, Shakib Al Hasan, Mohammad Al Amin Hossain, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Md. Shoriful Islam, Musaddek Hossain Saikat, Nasum Ahmed, Soumya Sarkar, Mohammad Parvez Hossain Emon, Yasir Ali Chowdhury, Mahadi Hasan, Naim Sheikh, Rubel Hossain, Mushfiqur Rahim, Hasan Mahmud, Md Mithun, Saif Uddin, Liton Kumer Das, Mustafizur Rahman, Md Mahmud Ullah, Mehidy Hassan Miraz, Afif Hossain Dhrubo, Taijul Islam.

Test Squad: Momimul Haque (Captain), Taskin Ahmed, Tamim Iqbal, Khaled Ahmed, Shakib Al Hasan, Hasan Mahmud, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mustafizur Rahman, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mehidy Hassan Miraz, Mohammad Mithun, Taijul Islam, Liton Das, Nurul Hasan, Yasir Ali, Shadman Islam, Saif Hassan, Nayeem Hasan, Abu Jayed, Ebadot Hossain

Tour Schedule
January 10: West Indies arrive
January 18: One-day warm-up match, BKSP, Savar
January 20: 1st ODI, SBNCS, Dhaka
January 22: 2nd ODI, SBNCS, Dhaka
January 25: 3rd ODI, ZACS, Chattogram
January 28-31: Four-day warm-up, M.A. Aziz Stadium, Chattogram
February 3-7: 1st Test Match, ZACS, Chattogram
February 11-15: 2nd Test Match, SBNCS, Dhaka

West Indies ranks higher than Bangladesh in Test but lower in ODI. Bangladesh may feel a bit relived as the squads of the touring team of both formats are well below their present strength.  Main team players like Jason Holder, Kieron Pollard, Roston Chase, Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, Sheldon Cottrell, Evin Lewis, Shai Hope, Shimron Hetmyer and Nicholas Pooran opted out in the excuse of COVID concerns. Most of them toured England and New Zealand in the recent past, played in IPL, CPL and now playing in BBL. In addition, Fabian Allen and Shane Dowrich have opted out of the tour citing personal reasons. In such situation cricket admirers can term the tour party as their second-tier teams. Now the question is whether team Bangladesh can exploit the situation?

Can Bangladesh Exploit The Situation? 
Tests are part of ICC Test Match Championship. ODIs are part of Global Championship. 

Will be really surprised if Bangladesh cannot win ODI series or even achieve clean sweep? Over the past two months or so the only cricket that Bangladesh played was 50 over matches and T20s with very limited preparations. There was no longer version cricket. Neither batsmen nor the bowlers are at all ready for test cricket. On the other hand West Indies main team and off course most of bowlers named in the squads have experience of playing against strong oppositions in England and New Zealand. Off course the conditions and wickets would be different. But West Indies reaching on 10 January 2021 would get enough time to acclimatise.

Mashrafe Exclusion Is Debatable.
Bangladesh excluding its charismatic former captain Mashrafe Bin Murtaza perhaps lost the option of utilising his wealth of experience. Mashrafe did not look out of form at all in few T20 matches those he played. He still retains control and wicket taking ability. With the exception of Mustafiz none still can replace Mashrafe skill in the ODI team. Moreover, even for maturing younger bowlers Mashrafe should have been retained in the ODI series we strongly believe. At the same time this could be his farewell series as well. We believe Mashrafe himself understands more than anyone else that the time is up for him. The great cricketer deserves a hearty send off. There could not be a better opportunity than this in near future offering the hero a hearty send off. 

Apart from Mustafiz not even Taskin, Rubel, Al Amin Hossain and Saifuddin are still not capable of what experienced Mashrafee can still do with the new and old ball. Young prospects like Hasan Mahmud and Shariful Islam must not be rushed into national team too early. Batting in ODI  looks pretty solid. The perfect blend of youth and experienced players should make Bangladesh producing lot of runs in ODI series giving bowlers opportunities to defend.

Why Mahmudullah Is Pruned From Test Squad? 
Test team suffered a lot for poor spineless batting before Pandemic (Forget about Series against very weak Zimbabwe). With no opportunity for playing longer version domestic cricket how can BCB dare excluding a proven performer Mahmudullah from test squad? West Indies test squad still possess Gabriel, Roach, Josef, Cornwall and Warrican.  Bangladesh must include Mahmudullah for batting in the middle order. 

We are optimistic about Bangladesh winning ODI series. We even do not rule out a clean sweep. But We are still not sure whether Bangladesh can even compete well in test.  Bangladesh does not have quality bowling attack for taking 20 wickets of the depleted West Indies team. 

Anyway, Mashrafe should be given opportunity and retire before his home crowd. Mahmudullah must be included in the test squad. Let good sense returns to BCB selectors. 

BDST: 1247 HRS, JAN 06, 2021
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