Bangladesh has the potential to shine

Bangladesh are in need of a lot of soul-searching if they want to succeed at Test level.

The 3-0 drubbing which they received at the hands of Sri Lanka in the recently concluded away series once again found Bangladesh lacking in certain important cricketing skills.
Test cricket requires patience, long hours of concentration and the ability to occupy the crease. The Bangladeshis forgot these basic skills.
It is not as if the ability is lacking in Bangladeshi batsmen. They are far too impetuous and carefree at the crease. This has been the bane of Bangladesh cricket since the time they got Test status.
The team has shown some improvement in one-day cricket. In this format, the free flowing Bangladesh batsmen have a better chance to express themselves.
But Test cricket is the ultimate judge of ability and even the most die-hard fan would admit that Bangladesh deserve their lowly ranking.
There is enough enthusiasm and support for the game in Bangladesh. Some of the emerging players in the Under-19 category are also showing a lot of promise.
The problem lies in harnessing the talent and making maximum use of it. The fault must certainly lie with the system.
Strengthening the system at the grassroots level must be addressed urgently. The domestic format must also be improved so that the players get a better chance to hone their skills.
As in most sub-continent countries, the underlying political games which are played have proved detrimental. The selection of teams has left much to be desired and players have been picked or dropped according to the whims and fancies of the selectors.
Mohammed Ashraful, the new captain, is a shining example of the woes of Bangladesh cricket. Anyone watching Ashraful bat will immediately label him a class player.
He has loads of talent and can play almost every shot in the book. After scoring a century on his Test debut just short of his 17th birthday, Ashraful has only occasionally lived up to his promise.
After 38 Tests, Ashraful has scored just 1801 runs at an average of 25.72 with four centuries. That is a poor record for a top order batsman in any team.
Ashraful’s career is full of cameos and little of substance. Lack of concentration and application has cut short many a promising innings. After a good start, Ashraful gets rash and throws his wicket away.
It is hoped that the captaincy of the team will have a better effect on him. He did play a fantastic knock in the second Test when his century brought some respectability to the Bangladesh innings.
Still only 23, Ashraful needs proper guidance to strengthen his mental makeup. Some sports commentators have even suggested that Ashraful plays best when he stops thinking and just lets his natural talent take over. The Bangladesh selectors must also stop making scapegoats of two of their outstanding players – Habibul Bashar and Khaled Mashud.
Bashar probably is the best Bangladesh Test batsman and has a fairly good Test record to back him up. He is the only current Bangladesh player with an average of over 30.
Bashar has been blamed for the Sri Lankan debacle. What has been forgotten is that there were 10 other players in the side who did not perform along with Bashar.
It is just that Bashar is going through a lean spell and must be encouraged to get back into form. The blame game is only played by those who have other agendas on their mind.
Mashud is a world-class keeper who always puts a price on his wicket while batting. It is indeed strange that a player of his calibre has been relegated to the reserves to accommodate a young player, Mushfiqur Rahim, who can get into the place on the strength of his batting alone.
Rahim was picked as a batsman in his first Test and has enough talent to be a future star. But he only developed his wicketkeeping skills to get into the national team. Given the situation in the team, he could have easily been used as a top order batsman with Mashud playing as the keeper.
It is hoped that a new coach may just bring about a change in the Bangladesh makeup. The battle will always be more mental than ability. If wise selection policies are adopted, Bangladesh may still become a force in Test cricket over the next four or five years.

By Babu Kalyanpur
babu.kallianpur@tradearabia.net