During the second and final part of an exclusive interview with The Daily Star’s Mazhar Uddin, Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha discussed, amongst other topics, the thought process behind approaching any particular opponent, the chances of the Tigers in the upcoming major events, and the change in mentality of the team as a unit. The following are some of the passages from the interview:
This morning’s edition of the Daily Star (DS): You said making the most of the home circumstances while keeping the strengths of the opponent in mind. Is it a part of the aim to perform better in away Tests to use seam-friendly surfaces at home, such as it was during the most recent test against Afghanistan?
Chandika Hathurusingha (CH): No. The character of the ground is changed in different ways based on how we want to play against certain competitors. We may increase our ability level by practicing in the nets and using the training facilities. While the NCL and BCL are going on, sporting pitches are also being readied. However, if we want to do well overseas, we can’t only focus on finding seam-friendly wickets to play on. It relies on our strengths. There is no use in my building a seaming pitch if I do not have any quick bowlers in my team. But at this point, we do have it. Because I have spinners on my squad, I can bowl spin-friendly wickets if I wish to get spin from the ball’s surface. Regarding strategy, we are free to play in whatever manner we see fit. It would be dependent on the capabilities and restrictions of the adversary.
DS: You said that Bangladesh has the greatest possibility to achieve something remarkable in the next Asia Cup. Can you elaborate on that? How does Bangladesh’s squad stack up against the likes of India and Pakistan in terms of strength?
CH: I believe that we are in such a situation that if we can play our best cricket, we have a chance to do something very remarkable. I am aware that rankings do not deceive, and I am aware that we are rated ninth (seventh in ODIs). We don’t have to deceive ourselves in any way. I was referring to the fact that we have the ability to compete with anybody on any given day since I am aware of our team’s high level of talent and competence. We shouldn’t waste this chance to create something really memorable.
DS: During your first term as coach, Bangladesh made it all the way to the quarterfinals of the ODI World Cup in 2015. Since then, we have approached significant events with cautious optimism on our possibilities. On the other hand, this time around, optimism has been tempered by the fact that the team, although being in form, has frequently buckled under duress when the stakes were high. Do you believe that the team’s combined mental strength has now reached the point where supporters may start to dream big for real this time?
CH: There will always be anticipation from the audience. That is the reason why they are fans. I want people to feel that they can have hope because we need their support for our squad. I believe that in 2015, we played above and above our ability. We had some fantastic momentum after our victory against England, which allowed us to advance to the quarterfinals of the competition. At the Champions Trophy [in 2017], we had a strong performance, and as a result, we advanced to the semifinals by claiming victory over New Zealand in unfamiliar playing circumstances. When we were there, we had the notion that we could go one step farther. In 2016, we came quite close to beating India in the T20 World Cup. This time around, the tournament is considerably different from previous ones since we compete against all of the teams and play a total of nine games. Therefore, there is no such thing as a day off. Therefore, it will be a difficult task. The fact that we are now in third place in the ODI Super League gives rise to the possibility that we will be labeled as the favorites. But it won’t matter until we go to the World Cup because it won’t be counted. I believe that we are capable of doing well, and so, that is what I will be betting on.
DS: Are we able to cope with the strain when things are very tight?
CH: Having the ability to tolerate pressure is ingrained in human nature. For example, let’s imagine you travel to a jungle after all of the construction has been put in place. As soon as anybody yells that there is a lion approaching, everyone will immediately leap up and start fleeing. The inclination of humans is to stay alive. It works the same way in athletics as well. When facing high-stakes scenarios, athletes should always go with their gut inclination. Because of this, the framework, as well as the overall game strategy, is very crucial. That is exactly what I am working toward achieving: putting in place a team culture, structure, and specific set of methods. Rather of allowing the pressure to overwhelm you, spend your time in practice sessions performing the mundane tasks that you have always done. This will give you the greatest opportunity of being successful. I am attempting to bring about this shift so that players do not become rigid and do nothing when they are placed in high-pressure circumstances.
DS: It seems that Bangladesh has a tendency to depend on the individual heroics of Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal, or Mushfiqur Rahim rather often. Do you believe that this should be different?
CH: Look, I can’t comment on how the fans or other people understand it. I just don’t know. When we consider the most recent few series, we can observe that there have been a wide variety of protagonists. To my knowledge, neither Shakib nor Tamim were a part of any significant tournament victories. Who was the most impressive guy during the India series? It was Mehedi Hasan Miraz all along. As a result of the strong team that we have assembled, you no longer need to be concerned about just one or two individuals.
DS: Players like as Shakib, Mushfiqur Rahim, and Tamim are getting closer and closer to the conclusion of their careers. Are you concentrating on the development of leadership qualities in other people? Do you believe that individuals like as [Najmul Hossain] Shanto, Liton [Das], Miraz, and Taskin [Ahmed] have amassed sufficient experience to successfully step into such enormous shoes?
CH: If I’m not mistaken, the board has previously placed Liton in control of several of the games when Shanto was serving as the vice captain. In part of the series, Miraz was also the vice-captain of the ship. I don’t believe they need to grow, and based on what I can tell, they are already leading by example in their actions. Shanto, Miraz, Taijul (Islam), Taskin, and Ebadot (Hossain) are all taking the initiative by doing things. In my opinion, they are prepared.
DS: There is a consensus among the board members and the fans that you are the most qualified individual to advance Bangladesh cricket to the next level as a coach. Do you agree with this assessment? As a result, there are a great deal of expectations. Do you take it into account?
CH: I do have my own expectations, which are things that are within my control. I am unable to influence or manage the expectations of other people. It makes me happy that people believe I am capable of achieving that, and it is encouraging to hear. My personal expectations are really high, but at the same time I try to be as realistic as possible. The only thing I can want of the players is that they work hard to improve themselves.
DS: We played a test match in England around 13 years ago, and we played a test match in Australia approximately 20 years ago. In light of the fact that Bangladesh do not play a sufficient number of tests, how tough would it be for the team to improve its performance in the test format and be able to compete with the top teams?
CH: 100 per cent. You will not get well if you do not take some action, and it is imperative that we take action. We are at a significant disadvantage, and it is regrettable that the players are expected to do miracles within the course of a month-long trip. Even the top teams, like Australia, have trouble competing in the conditions of the subcontinent. They continue to improve as they go on their 15th tour. [Playing more of their matches away from home] Unfortunately, it is something over which we have no influence.