Bangladesh has just lost the test series against Sri Lanka 1-0 losing the second test of the series at SBNCS Dhaka by 10 wickets.
It is usual practice in any test playing country carrying out post mortem of the performance of the team. We are not sure BCB has that culture.
If they had there could be some reflection in the series after disastrous test performance in South Africa.
22 years have whistled past since Bangladesh started playing test cricket. 23 years since Bangladesh head coach Caribbean cricket icon Sir Gordon Greenidge told “Bangladesh is not yet ready for test cricket”.
The series of test failures on tour and at home specially after the terrible batting debacle of Bangladeshi batsmen in two tests in South Africa and same in Dhaka test evidence that Gordon hit the bull’s eye.
Successive BCB officials failed developing enabling cricket culture for sustainability in test cricket. Bangladesh stays at rock bottom of ICC test ranking. Australia, New Zealand, India, England and South Africa stay sky high.
Bangladesh even cannot compete with Pakistan, Sri Lanka and West Indies. Even Afghanistan pips Bangladesh to the post.
If we look back in retrospect, we find in two tests in South Africa against second string home team Bangladesh batsmen were crashed by the two spinners getting wrapped up for 53 and 80.
None had to account for it. As if it was business as usual.
Before and during the series BCB boss and team management kept talking big. But the batsmen again looked novice against relatively inexperienced Lankan pacers.
24/5 in 7 overs in the first innings at Dhaka, 23/4 again in the second innings at the top and 13/5 at the later stage evidenced that Bangladesh batting has now become top less and bottom less.
Bangladesh now has a very high-profile coaching staff and tall talking team management.
We do not know what excuses BCB would assign for this dismal state.
If we assess minutely Bangladesh cannot survive the rigors of five days competitive cricket simply because of lack of experience of playing longer version cricket on sporting surfaces.
Add to that lack of skill, technique, temperament and commitment. Bangladesh batsmen can not play top quality pace bowling, swing bowling on pacey, bouncy wickets.
Bangladeshi batsmen also cannot play against quality spin on spinning tracks.
The recent debacles amply evidence all these. These must be fundamental flaws. T20 or ODI are peripheral cricket. The main version is test cricket.
To tell frankly only 4-5 players are test materials now. BCB boss talked about replacement of all players excepting Shakib.
But in practice there no replacement of few top players including Shakib, Tamim and Mushfiq. But they will gradually fade out.
Even with them in the team Bangladesh lost the Dhaka test by 10 wickets.
BCB has not done justice to Mominul Haq burdening him with captaincy. He is not a captaincy material at all.
It has seriously impacted his batting skill. Slotting Shanto at number three is also not right. Mahmudullah should have been persuaded to continue for a couple of more years.
Some experienced players performing consistently in local cricket should have been inducted in test squad. Local first class cricket must be revamped. Bangladesh will need at least 30-35 quality players of international quality for developing a competitive test squad.
There must be authentic analysis what has gone wrong. These players have higher capabilities.
They need mentoring, they need physique support. Bangladesh is going to West Indies for a full-fledged tour (tests, ODI and T20s). Mushfiqur Rahim has been granted leave of absence for performing Haj.
Bangladesh does not have much time for regrouping. Hope BCB realizes that intellectual competence is being questioned about their management of cricket.
BDST: 1828 HRS, May 28, 2022
MN/SMS
