‘Where will you get a player who is ready?’
Will Shakib Al Hasan's return to the team change Bangladesh's fortunes in the second Test against Pakistan? While the presence of the all-rounder allows the Tigers' think-tank the opportunity to form a balanced side by playing either an extra bowler or batter, coach Mohammad Salahuddin believes that only good batting from the top-order can shift the tide.
"Why did we ultimately fail in Chattogram? Because of a poor top-order. Otherwise, we were not that bad. It's definitely a huge boost for the team to get the services of a player like Shakib, but we have to ensure our top order can handle the new ball," Salahuddin said.
The mentor to many stars like Shakib, Tamim Iqbal and Mominul Haque was exclaimed surprise that the team management had failed to solve a simple problem by finding Tamim a settled opening partner.
"We all know a proper cricketing culture or structure is not in place in our country and we have been crying for it for so many years, but that's unfortunately why the national team has to deal with new players who are not ready to cope with the pressures of international cricket. In that case they have to learn how to manage many things instead of taking the challenge from very first assignment," explained the experienced coach.
"Tamim is successful because he plays the new ball with a straight bat, pushing the mid-on and mid-off areas, whereas most of his partners play sideways shots and their zone is mid-wicket or point. With such a technical flaw, you simply cannot survive against a quality attack," he added.
While questions have been asked about the selection of players in recent time, Salahuddin countered: "Where will you get a player who is ready? Is there any system from where you can get a technically sound player? Until or unless you overhaul the system, you have to live with your reality. It will not help us if we bring someone in and drop them after two or three games. This kind of practice only creates more chaos," he continued, adding that it would be more useful if the team management gave players assurances and confidence and worked on their technical deficiencies.
"It's ridiculous that we want a player coming in from the Under-19 team or High Performance team to make a mark straightaway in international cricket. Because of so many unready players in the national side, we always love to distinguish between them as senior or junior players."
Despite Shakib's and pacer Taskin Ahmed's return, Salahuddin was unsure if Bangladesh would be able conjure a better performance in the second Test, starting from November 4 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.
"See, the wicket was easy in Chattogram. The Pakistan spinners could hardly have an impact. Instead, our spinners, especially Taijul [Islam] bowled really well. Liton [Das] batted exceptionally while Mushfiq [Mushfiqur Rahim] also batted well but the rest failed to step up. I am not sure whether they will get the same kind of good pitch in Mirpur.
"Shakib always provides a special advantage and Taskin's recent form is also very encouraging, but the question is whether the top order can survive against the two-way movement from Pakistan's pacers?"
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