Bangladesh has had a ‘colourful’ year in 2023, in the most literal sense, as they have spent the most of their time playing in the red-and-green jersey and have only worn the all-white one four times.
Despite the modest amount of games, the Tigers have had a fantastic year, with three victories in four Tests, their greatest winning % in the format in a calendar year.
However, the team’s record might have been flawless if it hadn’t shot itself in the foot with a stupid strategy.
The first of the three victories came against Ireland in April at Dhaka’s Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, followed by a 546-run victory against Afghanistan in June at the same venue.
The most recent and noteworthy victory occurred in November-December against New Zealand at Sylhet, when the Najmul Hossain Shanto-led squad stopped Bangladesh’s losing skid against the Kiwis at home with a 150-run triumph.
Bangladesh has the potential to make it four-in-four in Tests with a victory in the second Test against New Zealand in Dhaka.
The Tigers had the advantage going into the game. They had beaten the visitors on a sports surface at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium and were headed to Mirpur, where they had won their previous two Tests this year.
However, in that encounter, the hosts succumbed to the spin trap they had put up for the visitors and were defeated by four wickets.
Without a doubt, the result ruined what might have been Bangladesh’s first flawless year in Test cricket.
More than that, the captain’s and other players’ response, rationalizing the Mirpur pitch, which was eventually handed a demerit point by the ICC and labeled underprepared, in the name of gaining home advantage, painted an even scarier image.
The practice of training rank-turners for Tests at the SBNS started under Chandika Hathurusingha’s first term as Bangladesh’s head coach, and it gained widespread recognition after first-ever Test victories against England in 2016 and Australia in 2017.
However, the Tigers’ home record has been extremely terrible since then, with no victories against top teams.
Still, the concept that Bangladesh must produce pitches with substantial twists from Day One is largely believed, particularly in Mirpur.
The cricket board may have decided they didn’t need to build a twisting pitch against Ireland and Afghanistan, and the hosts easily won both matches.
The match versus Afghanistan was especially noteworthy since it extended to the final day, which is unusual in Mirpur, and the fast bowlers took 20 of the 34 wickets that fell in the contest.
In order to win against New Zealand, the management created the same pitch that had brought them victory six to seven years before, and the strategy failed.
Following the defeat, the think tank needed to do some soul searching, realizing that preparing spin-friendly tracks in the pursuit of becoming home-track bullies is undermining the team’s growth in recent years and also stalling the development of many young faces with great potential in the current red-ball team.
Instead, the crew seemed to be even more steadfast in their approach, implying that they would happily do it again in the future.
And thinking like this just before Bangladesh’s busiest year in Test cricket is really risky for the squad.
According to the ICC FTP, Bangladesh will play 14 Tests next year, two at home against Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, and two away from home against Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and the West Indies.
If Bangladesh continues to seek short-term success, the spectacles from the second Test against New Zealand might be repeated next year, resulting in short-term benefits but long-term harm.