Bangladesh cricket frequently employs short-term remedies when it comes to approaching Test cricket, which relies around endurance and longevity of ideas.
For example, after the rain-soaked second Test between Bangladesh and New Zealand in Mirpur ended after 178.1 overs, stand-in skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto stated that the wicket was exactly what they had asked for.
A four-wicket defeat, on the other hand, implied that the Tigers had fallen into the trap they had set for the visitors at their favorite hunting ground.
Shanto further stated that such wickets would be constructed again at home, and that Bangladesh would need to be better prepared to take advantage of them.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) deemed the Mirpur Test wicket at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium “unsatisfactory” on Tuesday.
Mirpur’s pitch received one demerit point as a result of match referee David Boon’s assessment, which stated that the wicket was “under-prepared,” with irregular bounce and balls exploding from the surface.
Nazmul Abedeen Fahim, a cricket analyst and coach to several national team members, has also acted as a curator, and he was questioned if hitters can be prepared for such wickets.
“First and foremost, the ICC does not permit such wickets. If they want to play on such wickets, the skipper must know where the limit is,” Fahim remarked of the wicket.
According to Fahim, the trimmed grass indicated in the match referee’s report simply served to “camouflage whatever the surface actually was.”
Teams such as England and Australia have lost Tests here on turning tracks, but Fahim believes that the gap between Bangladesh and teams outside of the subcontinent is narrowing.
“There was a time when we would play well on such wickets, but the opposition would struggle.” They had world-class spinners this time and went toe-to-toe with us. Those who are mentally tough and experienced as batters can make an impact on this wicket. “New Zealand is much stronger mentally than us and has a better chance of winning on such surfaces,” he believes.
Bangladesh hitters tried hard, but no batsman on either side could match Glenn Phillips, who delivered pitches in his range clinically during an aggressive knock.
“When Phillips cleared the boundary ropes, the spinners found it difficult to attack him.” It’s difficult to defend when the ball is within a batter’s grasp because you have to respond quickly. “But you also need the ability to hit, which Phillips possessed,” he continued.
More specifically, Fahim argues that the thinktank, led by coach Chandika Hathurusingha, favored short-term benefit.
“Perhaps winning the second Test would have allowed the captain to claim victory on his captaincy debut.” The coach should be questioned about it as well, because I believe it was his plan as well [to prepare such a wicket]. Perhaps it was done to produce instant results, but without considering what this type of wicket will produce in the future.
“It shows that current leadership doesn’t have ideas like Eddie Barlow or Gordon Greenidge, who not only thought about the present but also kept Bangladesh’s future in mind,” he added.
Batters are unlikely to acquire confidence by batting in Mirpur. Given how the ODI World Cup proceeded, when bowlers from all countries were put under pressure and batters made the difference with their shot-playing prowess, it seems insignificant.
“If we play on such surfaces [in future], we will be knowingly losing the game since opponents are coming better prepared for such tracks as time progresses,” Fahim went on to say.