'It'll be up to Shakib to lead spin offensive'
Once again the Tigers are expected to bank on spin at home as they did against England last year when they take on Australia in the upcoming Test series. The pitch is likely to offer a lot of turn and purchase and according to former left arm spinner Abdur Razzak, it is experienced all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan who will have to lead Bangladesh's spin bowling department alongside young Mehedi Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam against the Aussies.
There were a few other names floating around in the form of leg-spinner Tanbir Hayder and left arm spinner Saqlain Sajib, but Razzak informed that it will be a difficult ask for a newcomer to make an impact immediately against a team like Australia.
“I think it will no doubt be helpful for Bangladesh to go with a spin-friendly track. It will be difficult for us to compete if we prepare a batting or even a sporting wicket. For youngsters to come and perform against Australia actually depends a lot on luck as well unless someone puts in an exceptional performance. Definitely you have to have the ability to bowl at international level.
“Shakib is the main spinner for us and then we have Miraz and Taijul who will be playing and definitely they will have a role, but I think it's Shakib who will have lead the spin department,” Razzak told The Daily Star yesterday.
Both Shakib and Miraz returned home on Monday and Tuesday respectively after completing their stints in the Caribbean Premier League.
Shakib played three matches for Jamaica Tallawahs, but young Miraz had to sit in the Trinbago Knight Riders dug-out throughout his stay. But Razzak, Miraz's first-class captain for Khulna Division, informed that despite not getting a game Miraz will still have gathered a lot of experience, and that even though he missed out on the Chittagong leg of the training camp, his confidence and preparation before the Test series will not be harmed.
“When you get to play in different places it helps to gather a lot of experience and it was also a huge experience for Miraz going to the CPL. He knows very well that he has to play Test cricket after that and definitely he was not sitting there; he obviously worked on his fitness and bowling. We all know at this level every team has support staff who help the players get prepared. I think the more a player travels around the world, the more experience he will gather,” the 35-year-old left-arm spinner said.
“When I played against Australia [in the second Test of Australia's last tour in 2006] they totally dominated us, but the first Test in Fatullah turned out to be an interesting one [when Bangladesh took a 158-run first-innings lead]. But if you compare our team back then with Australia there was a huge difference. Now I won't say there is a huge gap and the way Bangladesh are playing they can be a threat to any team in home conditions. If everything goes well it will be tough for Bangladesh to win the series against Australia but not impossible,” Razzak said.
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