Test match performance against India

AFTER their fine showing against the West Indies and Zimbabwe, of course not two of the greatest teams in the world today, our cricketers caved in without much of a fight against the mighty Indians. While there was a semblance of contest in the first Test in Chittagong, when the strong Indian battling line-up failed to click in the first innings, the second Test in Dhaka turned to be a straight mop-up operation for the visitors.
There were occasional flashes of brightness, though, which kept the local fans on their toes. In Chittagong, some very good bowling by Skipper Shakib and pacer Shahadat restricted the Indians to a modest 243. Yet, the small total turned out be a big one for our brittle batting line-up. The Indians managed to bowl their rivals out without conceding a lead, and then launched an all-out attack to set a huge target for the local boys. Though Mushfiqur Rahim scored a well deserved century, the outcome of the match was never in doubt.
So, the expectations were not low when the second Test began at Dhaka. But our batsmen, except the ever consistent Mahmudullah Riad, collapsed before the spectators could settle down. It is this kind of meek capitulation that the players must learn to avoid while facing stronger sides. They played shots, some of them quite risky, when their only job was to occupy the crease and let runs come in the singles and twos. Aggression can never be a substitute for technique in Test cricket. A perfectly executed cover drive or a huge six can please the crowd momentarily, but cannot help control a match.
Opener Tamim Iqbal played brilliantly in the second innings in Dhaka when the team was actually struggling to avoid an innings defeat. But his dismissal at the fag end of the day was big disappointment for the local fans. Tamim made the Indian bowling look ordinary, but the fans will still ask why our batsmen could not take the pressure of this not-so-menacing bowling attack.
Were the players under some kind of psychological pressure? What was particularly heart-tearing for them is whereas they had expected a lead of 150-200 runs after the 2nd innings they slumped from what was 291 for 4 to 312 all out!
We hope the players will learn to stay before they can flay the opposition bowling.