Will the Tigers go all in?
If one were to take the long-term view, it would indeed be a waste if the three-ODI series against Zimbabwe starting today in Mirpur passed by without the Bangladesh team management getting a solid idea of the mettle of the junior-most members in the side. There are only a handful of ODIs left before the Tigers take on South Africa in the first match of the 2019 World Cup on June 2.
Of those assignments, a home series against a Zimbabwe softened up by a winless tour of South Africa is the simplest. It also comes on the back of a spirited run to the final of the Asia Cup -- a tournament that was in large part played without the services of stalwarts like Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal, both of whom continue to be absent through injury. The lesson from the Asia Cup was an encouraging one as it showed that the youngsters can step up when required. Head coach Steve Rhodes said on Thursday that this series would be a great opportunity to find out more about the team.
The most untested players in the side are Ariful Haque (6 T20Is), Mohammad Saifuddin (3 ODIs, 6 T20Is), Nazmul Hossain Shanto (3 ODIs, 1 Test) and the uncapped Fazle Rabbi. All of them are seen as building blocks in Bangladesh's road to the World Cup and it would seem there is no time better than now.
However, skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza sounded unsure about taking the leap, and that position is understandable given the premium put on wins and the flak attached to losses.
"It is about how you take the matter -- whether positively or not," said Mashrafe at the pre-match briefing in Mirpur yesterday. "If we play the three or four new players [we have to play] with the approach that regardless of whether we win or lose, we want to see how it goes. But a lot matters on how it is received in our culture. We cannot take defeats very easily.
"This is also in the back of the mind – if not in open discussion -- when selecting a team. Maybe elsewhere it happens that they back the players they pick, whether they win or lose. But with us, it is hard to deny that there is a bit of confusion when it comes to that. But at the same time I think the culture is changing bit by bit, and I hope that the ones we want to see will be given a chance by you and us, as well as the general public. They won't be able to score the way they score in domestic cricket. For example, there was a bit of nervousness yesterday in Rabbi, but he needs to be given the time to settle. Because if god forbid something happens to Shakib, then we would need to think about someone [like Rabbi] who bowls left-arm spin and bats.
"These are the reasons why they are in the 15-man squad, but at the same time it is also true that you can't lose international games. And that is how we have to plan and set our eleven -- we have to gradually see one or two players," Mashrafe added.
The culture Mashrafe talked about has not just been prevalent among the media and the public. Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hassan said in an interview recently that he tries not to get involved but he cannot just stand by and see the team losing. With such pressure from the top, it is small wonder that those actually in charge of selecting the eleven have muddled outlooks.
The time is ripe for all stakeholders to choose decisively between risk and caution, bearing in mind that the benefits of the former may bear fruit in the World Cup and beyond.