New Tigers raring to go

Players of Bangladesh cricket team stretch before a training session at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday.Photo: STAR

The Tigers got back to business yesterday after Eid holidays to prepare for the coming home series against New Zealand.
The series kicks off with the first one-day international of the three-match series at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur on October 9. It is all set to see some new Tigers who will be making their international debuts in the series following mass resignation of several national players, who left the city yesterday to play the unauthorised Indian Cricket League (ICL) under the banner of 'Dhaka Warriors'.
The Rafiqul Alam-led selection panel is likely to announce a 14-member team tomorrow for the one-day series in which Nayeem Islam is likely to feature.
Veteran players like Tushar Imran, Rajin Saleh and Nafis Iqbal were also in consideration given the fact that the team has a lack of experience, but there is a big question on the fitness of Nafis, who was recalled to the senior side after more than two years gap.
But on top of everything, the question remains whether Mohammad Ashraful will be retained as captain for the series. There have been talks about a change in the captaincy following the debacle in Australia, but the issue was out of public eyes following the ICL-episode. "Let's see what happens" was the answer of a board member when asked about the issue. But what was learnt that it was yet to be decided in the highest forum of the board.
But after the 'ICL cyclone', the most frustrating fact for the national selectors was the unavailability of middle-order batsman Rokibul Hasan, who is unlikely to be fit again before the two-match Test series, which starts from October 17 at the Chittagong Divisional Stadium. Rokibul injured his right thumb while batting in the first ODI against Australia in Darwin last month.
On the other hand Syed Rasel will only be considered in the side if national physio Darryn Lifson declares the left-arm seamer, who has some problem with his elbow, fully fit.
But the Bangladesh camp were however upbeat as left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak said yesterday during the practice session at Mirpur that they would 'definitely focus on winning a match or two in the series'.
It was turn for the experienced spinner to say something after the holidays: "At least we have to try our best to make our presence felt in the series as a team and I am hopeful that we will be able to do that because the team are charged up to show their best."
"In the last series (in Australia) our bowling was not bad but the batting let us down. I think we need a few big innings from players like (Mohammad) Ashraful in the series," said Razzak.
"Our main focus is to get back in rhythm as a team as we did it during the last World Cup. I am hopeful that it will happen in this series against New Zealand," he said.
Razzak also believed that it is a great advantage for them as they are going to play at home after all that has happened.
"We are going to play in our own conditions and definitely spinners will get advantage in this condition. But everything will depend on how good we bat," he observed.
Like his other teammates, Razzak, who got the chance in IPL, was not ready to focus too much on the players who already left them to join Indian Cricket League (ICL).
"It's their own decisions. I think it's better to think of those who are with us now," he said.