Tigers' hopes lie with spin

Prior to the final round of the Bangladesh Cricket League, which came to an end last week, there were a few concerns for the selectors.

There were questions regarding the pace department. Most of the Test pacers were either out of form or injured. The kind of spin attack that the Tigers would use in the Test in Fatullah, which begins on June 10, was also an issue of debate. Shuvagata Hom, after all, hasn't lived up to his expectations as a fulltime spinner in the side.

And then there were questions over Mahmudullah Riyad's form and whether Soumya Sarker's inclusion in the Test side in the Pakistan series was a hasty gamble.

However, the selectors will feel relieved after the final round of the BCL, with a majority of the players in question hitting form.

Riyad and Soumya for instance scored centuries for their respective sides. Shuvagata's turners were instrumental in leading his BCL team to a cracking win in a low-scoring game at Mirpur.

Abul Hasan, who managed to get among the wickets as well, had a calming influence on the selectors' nerves as far as the pace department is concerned.

"Even though Shakib [Al Hasan], Mushfiqur [Rahim] and Tamim [Iqbal] didn't play the final round of the BCL, I thought the players who did managed to utilise the match well.

"I also think our pacers are in a much better situation right now. Rubel [Hossain] has received more time and is doing better. Abul has also got a few wickets. Honestly, in our conditions, pace won't matter as much. I think the pacers in our preliminary squad will be good enough for the Test," said chief selector Faruque Ahmed.

There is no doubt that the hosts' bowling line-up will depend on their spinners on a Fatullah track that isn't expected to support the pacers.

And with Shakib out of form, the burden may fall on Taijul Islam. The slow left-armer, although a bit inconsistent, picked up a five-for in the last series and hopes to continue his run.

"Apart from the Pakistan series, I picked up a five-wicket haul in the final round of the BCL as well. I hope that performance can inspire me to do well against India.

"Indian players play spin well, so it will be an extra challenge for me to perform. But if I do get selected I'll do my best in this series, because it's a big occasion for all of us," Taijul told reporters at Mirpur yesterday.

On a hot and sultry morning, Bangladesh's national players began their camp for the India series. While the players attended a gym session yesterday, they will begin their skills training today.

With the selectors hoping to submit the Test team by May 2nd, the next few camps could well be crucial for players in the preliminary squad hoping to make the final cut for the first time.

"We played well in the last series and I think our team is pretty much settled. We just want to observe them for a few more days before submitting the team," said Faruque.