Bangladesh have won three of their four Tests in 2023 with a close defeat to New Zealand their only loss. While these are encouraging signs, their approach could be working against them, writes Sarah Waris.
There were plenty of positives for Bangladesh in their two-Test series against New Zealand, which ended 1-1. Najmul Hossain Shanto, a desperate pick as captain in the absence of the first-choice players, led from the front, stepping up against an experienced bowling attack to become the first Bangladesh skipper to score a Test ton since 2021.
It is always difficult to overcome the nadir of the 2023 World Cup without several experienced players. Nevertheless, this young team, lacking a regular captain and vice-captain, two key fast bowlers and an experienced opener, sped up the pace of the touring team. They showed composure in his batting throughout his two Tests and a masterclass in his bowling with spin. Glen at Mirpur Had it not been for Phillips’ all-round show, Bangladesh might have emerged victorious in the first Test his series against New Zealand.
Bangladesh, who finished last in the last World Test Championship, are determined to maximize their advantage on the slower, more results-oriented track this time around. Shanto said: “When we play Tests, we’re not here to get better.” This is not a place to practice. We aim to win the test. “It’s important to prepare to win the Test and we need to make sure we take advantage of the home conditions.” ODI template for Bangladesh to play in a slow-wicket long format to achieve a good result at home It was clear that they were keen to adapt the . p>
New Zealand captain Tim Southee described the Dhaka track as “probably the worst” of his career, while Mehdi Hasan Miraz said: “Whenever these teams play overseas” He defended his decision to stick to spinning wickets. Take advantage of home advantage. We are trying to be successful in Test cricket. If you can earn these points at WTC, you will be able to do better in the points. ”
This year, Bangladesh spinners have taken 49 wickets in four home games, averaging 21 wickets. This is his second-best number in a single year since 2016. He also has a strike rate of 46.1 wickets. It is his fourth time in the calendar year that Bangladesh’s slow bowler has hit fewer than his 50 balls per wicket. Interestingly, the current head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe was also the head coach in 2016.
The average batting average of visiting batsmen in Bangladesh was 20.29, the lowest ever in a single year in Bangladesh. However, the batsmen have put emphasis on their shots, hitting 21 sixes in four matches, suggesting that counter-attacking on these wickets is a good solution.
The only time Bangladesh deviated from their plan was this year’s match against Afghanistan, when a fast track was prepared in Dhaka to compensate for the short bowling weaknesses of their rivals. Afghanistan also have a strong spin attack, as seen in the ODI World Cup when they outplayed England and then Pakistan on slow wickets, and Bangladesh were not willing to take that risk. In the end, they won by a huge margin of 546 runs.
But is this result a true indicator of Bangladesh’s strength as an emerging Test team? Or does home advantage make Bangladesh stronger than they actually are?
In the big picture, such tracks only strengthen the feeling of invincibility, while preventing the positive effects of victory. Bangladesh also took fewer wickets in ODIs as they looked to earn direct qualification to the ICC ODI Super League ahead of the 2023 World Cup.
Bangladesh won 15 of their 24 ODIs in 2020 with eight losses and one inconclusive match, finishing third in the points table. This result was borne out in the home games, with Bangladesh winning eight of the 12 Super League ODIs, including series wins against West Indies, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.
Apart from the Super League, Bangladesh also hosted India, Ireland and New Zealand. The highlight was the series win against a packed Indian team last year. Since the beginning of 2021, Bangladeshi spinners have collected 85 scalps at an average of less than 25 and a strike rate of 32.8. The prepared pitch also suited their strengths perfectly. Out of his 24 ODIs, the team got past his 300 only in six of his matches and only in his 12 were they able to cross 250. During the World Cup, the transition from playing on slow tracks to flatter venues posed a challenge for Bangladesh’s batsmen as the team crossed the 300-run mark only once during the tournament. In the end he finished 8th in the points table.
This does not mean that Bangladesh relied solely on the pitch for success. They registered a historic Test win against New Zealand at Mt Maunganui last year and defeated South Africa in an ODI series where the pacers shone. However, preparing his one-dimensional wicket at home reduces the visibility given to the pacer.
Only one fast bowler played against the Blackcaps in the first Test in Sylhet. Although this approach will yield immediate results, it is not necessarily what Bangladesh needs.
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