Tigers embark on pacey challenge
The Bangladesh cricket team will embark on arguably their toughest overseas tour in recent times when 14 members of a 15-man Test squad, along with backroom staff, depart for Johannesburg today for a two-Test series against South Africa. The Tigers will leave in two batches, with five members taking off at 10:30am and the next batch of 11, which will include skipper Mushfiqur Rahim, scheduled to leave at 7:30pm.
Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal will not be part of today's South Africa-bound flights as the left-hander played the last of the three T20Is as part of the World XI against Pakistan in Lahore yesterday. Bangladesh's highest run-scorer will return tomorrow morning and leave for Johannesburg tomorrow night. The talismanic Shakib Al Hasan has asked to be rested from the Tests, so there will be more pressure than usual for Tamim to perform.
Bowling coach Courtney Walsh is the only member of the coaching staff with the Tigers at the moment, and he will depart with the team today. Also with the team will be chief selector Minhajul Abedin. Head coach Chandika Hathurusingha, assistant coach Richard Halsall and trainer Mario Villavarayan will join the team in South Africa from their respective home countries at or around the time the team reach there. Bangladesh will play a three-day tour game against a South Africa Invitational XI in Benoni from September 21.
Bangladesh have so far played four Tests in South Africa -- two in 2002 and two in 2008 -- and the inauspicious fact is that they suffered innings defeats in all four matches.
The first Test will get underway from September 28 in Potchefstroom and the second Test will be played in Bloemfontein from October 6. The two-Test series will be followed by a three-match ODI and a two-match T20I series on October 26 and 29.
It will be a tough assignment for the Tigers as the seaming and bouncy pitches in South Africa are the most difficult for subcontinent batsmen raised on low, spinning tracks. It will also be a world away from the Tigers' recent drawn home series against Australia played on a Mirpur dustbowl and a Chittagong flat track that transformed into a sharp turner by the end of the match.
The focus will now turn to Bangladesh's growing strength in pace bowling. Five pacers in Mustafizur Rahman, Shafiul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Subhasish Roy and Rubel Hossain will try to take the attack to the second-ranked team in Test cricket.
“Yes, the pacers will probably have more importance on this tour,” said Taskin yesterday in Mirpur. “They [South Africa] will obviously prepare wickets according to their strength but I don't think they will make wickets that are too dangerous -- if they think they can blast out our batsmen on such wickets, I don't agree. Our pace attack is also good and better than before, and we are gradually improving.
“If we can play our best, we can win even in South Africa,” said a confident Taskin, adding that after a month of working hard on his swing and accuracy, the right-handed quick has targeted the number one spot in the wickets column.
His fellow pacer Rubel was also similarly confident about their chances in South Africa. “Our batsmen have done well in Australia and England, so I don't think they will be in big trouble in South Africa. We will also have time to adjust to the conditions. On the bowling front, we often get excited when we see a green pitch, but we have to remember the importance of line and length.”