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Bangladesh Must Plan Properly For Second ICC Test Championship 

Saleque Sufi | banglanews24.com
Update: 2021-09-27 12:33:11
Bangladesh Must Plan Properly For Second ICC Test Championship  [photo collected]

Bangladesh starts its mission for second ICC Test Championship from Early December 2021 when strong Pakistan team visits Bangladesh for playing two tests and three T20s. By that time ensuing T20 world cup would be done and dusted and BCB would have a new elected Executive Committee. 

Perhaps it would be new wine in old bottle. Whatever be the case, whoever wins the world cup or whoever would the there in the new EC of BCB, the challenges for Bangladesh improving its standing in ICC test ranking would remain the same. Bangladesh played very poorly in the first ICC Test Championship matches losing to almost all teams and losing very badly against most. It was not expected from a team staying in test playing family for over 20 years. Even Afghanistan graduating much later than Bangladesh performed way better despite having no playing facilities and environment in their own countries. 

The tour of Pakistan would start with the first T20 match starting on 19 November at SBNCS, the second and the third would be played on the same venue on 20th and 22nd.  We are not sure playing on similar surface as those against visiting Australia and New Zealand would serve any good. Pakistan is far better equipped playing in those surfaces and they have better quality spinners for exploiting such surfaces. The first test match would be played at ZAC Stadium Chattogram from 26 November and the second at SBNCS Dhaka from 4 December. 

[photo collected]

Why Bangladesh is Lying Low In Test Cricket? 
Bangladesh is lying at rock bottom of test cricket. The standard of domestic cricket if not the poorest is not proper for creating quality test cricketers. There is no lack of potential, no lack of enthusiasm. Cricket is still played in some form all across the country. But BCB could not make any short medium or long-term plan for making the domestic infrastructure for creating and developing a competitive test team. BCB hardly paid any attention for improving the standard of domestic first-class cricket. 

The Dhaka centered cricket not played on proper surfaces and poor facilities hardly could be considered as ideal breeding ground for quality cricketers. In so many years BCB could not create enabling facilities in divisional headquarters not to speak of district level. The age group cricket and other formats are organized in a very unplanned manner. The facilities outside Dhaka are so poor that during the CORONA period all international matches specially all the matches of the recent T20 series had to be held on questionable surface of Sher-e- Bangla National Cricket stadium. 

In 20 years, Bangladesh does not have test team that can play quality cricket consistently over 5 days against most opposition. We must not count Zimbabwe. Bangladesh could not compete against Afghanistan, was white washed against second tier West Indies, looked like novice against Pakistan and India. There are no quality wicket taking pace bowler, not a quality match winning leg spinner, quality test batsmen. How can Bangladesh turn around and prove competitive in the second ICC Test Championship? 

[photo collected]

We have seen National s elector, former captain Habibul Bashar Sumon talked about National Cricket League as a way of preparation for the test mission. Let us see how it is organized? What would be the playing facilities? What kinds of wickets are prepared? We have seen in the past that performances in domestic cricket were hardly considered as yardstick for consideration in the national team. Consistent performers of domestic cricket were ignored. Careers of some senior quality cricketers were made uncertain. Let us see given the past diabolic performance of Bangladesh in test cricket what qualitative changes BCB league committee makes in domestic longer version cricket with a vision for a better test team. 

Bangladesh would desperately need better technically equipped top order batsmen other than Tamim, Mominul, Mushfique and Shakib. Any serious initiative to persuade Mahmudullah changing his mind for playing test would serve well for the team. Hope BCB reconsider bringing back into fold some proven senior performers – a fresh look at Imrul Kayes, Anamul Huq Bijoy and even Mohammad Ashraful. Youngsters like Shadman Islam, Mohammad Mithun, Nazmul Shanto would mature playing and competing with the seniors. Taskin must not be burnt out exposing him to all versions. His workload must be limited. If Mustafiz is preserved for White ball cricket why Taskin cannot play test and at best ODI? Abu Jayed Rahi has not been treated well in recent times. Bangladesh must have 5-6 quality pacers bowling at 135-140 KMH and having ability to move the ball. Off course they would need proper bouncy and pacey wickets.  

Bangladeshi pacers sustain injuries often trying to bend their backs on low slow wickets. Bangladesh would definitely need couple of quality leg spinners for winning test matches. Taijul is a top quality experienced red ball spinner. Wonder why he was carried in the squad and not given any match at all. Team management must not have treated with a senior player like that. 

We hope good senses would prevail in BCB. Spending part of BDT 900 Crores fixed deposits of BCB fund facilities of Stadiums in Khulna, Cox’s Bazar, Rajshahi, Bogura, Sylhet would be further improved, some true sporting surfaces would be prepared and must more meaningful attention would be given to improving domestic cricket. 

BDST: 1231 HRS, SEP 27, 2021
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