Will BCB’s spin reliance change?

The Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium [ZACS] in Chattogram, where Bangladesh are set to take on Afghanistan in a one-off Test from September 5, has been known as a happy hunting ground for Bangladesh. 

However, many may be surprised to know that Bangladesh have won just two Tests and drew six out of 18 Tests played at the ZACS so far.

The reason behind the ZACS being termed as the Tigers' lucky ground is because of their success in the ODIs as Bangladesh won 12 out of 21 games played at the venue.

For the upcoming Test, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is thinking of giving seamers more opportunity to better prepare them for conditions abroad, where the faster men have often been found wanting.  

"You are all aware of the type of wicket we normally have. There won't be much change in the pitch but we are trying to provide true wickets with some grass on it so that the fast bowlers get some advantage. We have to start [offering pace friendly pitches at home]. We have a new head coach and bowling coach after the World Cup, so we have to start," cricket operations committee chairman Akram Khan had told reporters on August 23, while talking about the need to have similar standards both home and away.

But it remains to be seen whether new head coach Russell Domingo and the think tank would move away from a dependency on spin. That strategy has helped them achieve some success at home, especially in Chattogram where Bangladesh played with just one seamer in their last three Tests.

The Tigers won their last Test at ZACS against the West Indies by 64 runs in November last year, drew the game against Sri Lanka earlier the same year and lost to Australia by seven wickets in 2017.

Mustafizur Rahman played as the lone seamer in those games in Chattogram alongside four genuine spinners in skipper Shakib Al Hasan, Taijul Islam, Mehedi Hasan Miraz and Nayeem Hasan.

Although the selectors did call up 12 fast bowlers in the 35-member Bangladesh preliminary squad, there is little chance of including more than two seamers in the playing eleven considering the type of pitch in Chattogram, which has mostly been batting friendly while assisting spin to varying degrees.

Pacer Shahadat Hossain, who played his last Test four years ago and not in contention currently, is the highest wicket-taker among pacers in Tests at the ZACS with 22 scalps from 10 games and is behind Shakib Al Hasan who leads with 55 wickets in 15 Tests at the venue. Mustafizur, with 10 wickets in four Tests is in second place among the Bangladesh seamers.

The number of pacers fielded in recent home Tests – the 2018 Mirpur Test against West Indies was played with an all-spin attack – reveals a lack of confidence in the seamers. Skipper Shakib and Domingo will also be wary of the threat posed by Afghanistan's spinners like Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi and Qais Ahmed and perhaps that may see an extra coat of grass on the wicket.  

The selectors are set to announce the squad within the next two days and it will reveal much about the weight of the BCB's words about maintaining standards abroad. Pacers have been abysmal at home, taking 15 wickets to the spinners' 161 in the last 10 home Tests, but they will benefit from more of the selectors' faith and an increase in assistance from the pitch.