'Need to adapt to new rules'
Following the confirmation of rule changes in the ODIs by the International Cricket Council (ICC) yesterday, members of Bangladesh team management emphasised on the need for the team to adjust to the changes as soon as possible.
The modified rules will be in effect when Bangladesh play South Africa next month. As per the new rules, there won't be a batting powerplay and neither will the captains have to place two catchers in the first ten overs. Also, captains can have the liberty of placing five fielders, one more than before, outside the 30-yard circle in the last ten overs. In addition, as per the changes, a 'free-hit' will now be enforced for all kinds of no-balls and not just when the bowler oversteps.
"Considering the fact that we just played a series with the old rules, we will need some time to adapt to the latest rules," Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusingha told The Daily Star yesterday.
"The captain will need to be a bit more upfront from now on since the rules don't force him to make field changes. He will have to be a bit more imaginative from now on.
"It will definitely help the bowlers though. It will give them a bit more of a breathing space," he added.
Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza echoed Hathurusingha's sentiments and believed that his side would be able to get used to the rules by the time the South Africa series began.
"It's all about adjustment really. It's not as though it's one rule for us and another for them. It's the same for both sides, so we need to adjust as soon as possible," he said.
Bangladesh's bowling coach and former Zimbabwe bowler Heath Streak appreciated the changes made by the ICC and believed that it would make the bowlers a lot more happy.
"The bowlers will obviously enjoy it. The batsmen will have to adapt a little bit on those phases. The extra man out in the last ten overs will inhibit the boundary hitting. But I think for us it will be fine," said Streak.
"It's good that the ICC is giving the bowlers a bit of a chance. If you look at the England-New Zealand series, the matches were played on flat wickets and it was a really big challenge for the bowlers to contain the batsmen. The new rules will make it a bit more challenging for the batsmen," he added.