Cricket's next generation will not disappoint

So, Ricky Ponting bows out from the stage on which he dominated as gracefully as ever. After the retirement of Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Muttiah Muralitharan and Sourav Ganguly, another cricketing legend have called it a day. Amongst these few legends, whose careers span more than a decade, Sachin Tendulkar, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Daniel Vettori and Jacques Kallis are still playing. But in the course of time they too will call it a day.

It's very difficult to fulfill the voids created by the departures of such players. You will struggle to find those marvelous hooks and pull shots that Ponting played; you will search for 'The Wall' and Laxman's silky drives or those majestic on-drives of Tendulkar. But will you remain stuck in time?

The planet of sports is an amazing place. It never offers dullness. The past of a sporting life cycle always spreads the colours of glory, but it never steps back to present us with exciting talents. A vacuum created by Sunil Gavaskar was fulfilled by another Mumbai batsman while the absence of a Murali has been filled with a maestro. The place has never remained empty.

If you are sad with the retirements of these legends who have been your inspiration for more than a decade then don't be upset, because cricket is creating future stars who are all set to catch your imagination.

South Africa are oozing with players of supreme talent. There's an artist named Hashim Amla whose wrists are wrapped in silk to refresh the eyes of the purists; in AB de Villiers they posses a sophisticated destroyer; Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel can make the heart race like a Allan Donald used to do. In England, a cricketer's ego is proving handy for the opposition. It's not destroying him, but making him a legend in the passage of time. Kevin Pietersen's egoistic batting is something rare in modern day cricket.

In India, you might not be greeted with a Dravid or Tendulkar but Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara won't let your hopes shatter. From the land of the unpredictable, Pakistan, a magician named Saeed Ajmal is there keep your life mysterious with a doosra, teesra and fizzing offbreaks. Moreover, the likes of Junaid Khan and Raza Hasan's guile and tenacity will hold your attention. The paradise islands of Sri Lanka are blessed with the likes of Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Akila Dhananjaya and Suraj Randiv. Even Bangladesh - though pathetic losers - are not short of sparks with the likes of Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim, Nasir Hossain and Mahmudullah there to command respect.

In the Caribbean, cricket seems to have got a new life. Refreshing talents are cropping up to bring back life into West Indian cricket. Darren Bravo, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Kieran Powell, Kemar Roach and Adrian Barath are the future of Caribbean cricket and look very promising.

You will stand up and applaud the leaders of the next generation who are fighters and lead by an example. These leaders stand up and face the toughest situations by delivering the goods for their teams. Alastair Cook and Michael Clarke are the leaders of the modern era who are adept to gel their team together with decisive match-saving performances.

Cricket has the players, shaping up into legends, for you to keep your interest in moving on beyond a Ponting, Tendulkar or Lara. And again, do not forget about the element of surprise from cricket as it has the habit of presenting us stars from nowhere. You might discover someone from the streets of Mumbai storming the cricketing world, you might get thrilled by the speed of an unknown rookie from Rawalpindi or from a don't-know-zone in Sri Lanka a magician might take you for a visit in the wonderlands.

Note: This article has been published in cricketnext.com today Cricket's next generation will not disappoint

Thank You

Faisal Caesar

A nation's players in denial

If ever a nation’s fans deserved success it is undoubtedly Bangladesh. That’s because through thick and thin, good and bad, for betters or for worse, the fans show up hoping for a miracle. That miracle is a Test win at home or a series win against a Top 8 team fully stocked with its quota of players.

 Yet despite that miracle never appearing, the fans shout themselves into a stupor. They cheer every run. They shout for every wicket. They even scream when the team wins the toss. That kind of blind support should be reserved for a nation’s heroes. That elevation of status to ‘legend’ should be held back and only bestowed on those who really warrant it.

But to the Bangladeshi fans, wearing a national shirt does make you a hero. And this where much of the problem lies in the cricket.

 The issues with the national cricket team run deep and they run across multi levels. But they mostly stem from expectation of what constitutes a good player and what is accepted as world class by most other countries.  It seems perfectly normal to Australian, English or South African players, for example, to spend their time off in either the gym or at practice, honing skills. This may not be quite the match up with Bangladesh attitudes to training and practice.

 And here’s the heart of the problem in many ways. Those making it to the national team seem to lack the all round ‘best practice’ approach to the game that other teams take for granted now. It’s a deep-rooted misunderstanding that in some way, some how, the responsibility is someone else’s, and not those playing the game.

 I feel this is also why successive coaching staffs have met with such little success. It’s also why fans want to change the coaching staff when series get continually lost or poor matches become normal behavior for the team.

 If you are better than average in Bangladesh as a player you know you will be adored by the fans and the public. Winning games now and then can almost lead to a public holiday, gifts showered upon you or certainly, more income through sponsors queuing up to have you endorse their oil, mowers, soft drink or air conditioning systems. The trappings of success are high in Bangladesh, but the bar has been set so very low in the first place.

 It starts at domestic level. Everyone knows that the game at this level, often described by others, as ‘picnic cricket’, is no indicator of good skill. The standard, which is barely above most counties’ 2nd XI cricket, requires a complete and urgent overhaul.

 Having spent a year working with Ranji Trophy team Haryana, I can state that Bangladesh as a nation would be better served attempting to get into that system in the same way that Namibia has done with South Africa, and Ireland, Netherlands and Scotland have done with England.

 It is only by playing in competitive cricket, mixing with others who have the right approach to the game and listening to how things are done properly, can Bangladesh truly move forward.

I have a love affair with Bangladesh and it really pains me to see how the team continually makes the same mistakes over and over and over again. The excuse culture that exists “it wasn’t my fault”… “that’s how I play”… etc., has to be gotten rid of so coaches can build on the talent that is hidden away in the country.

Whatever a cricket board does or doesn’t do, a cricketer is in control of what he does. And it starts in the hearts and minds of those playing for the Bangladesh flag and for the millions of crazy, passionate, irresistible fans who support them without question.

Bangladesh cricket fans deserve a good team to cheer for. The players are fortunate to have that when they often don’t deserve it.  After 12 years of Test cricket the time is now for those playing to step up.

I think the world is getting bored with what’s happening to cricket in Bangladesh. It is now up to the players to do something about it.

Courtesy: Ian Pont

Mahmudullah: The unsung hero of Bangladesh cricket

At 193 for 8, Bangladesh were done and dusted against West Indies on the first day of the second Test in Khulna. As usual it was the top order that was rusty and the hosts were heading for a dismal total. But from nowhere a debutant named pace bowler named Abul Hasan stood up to be counted and blazed his way to a century from the No. 10 spot.

Undoubtedly, it was a knock which had been the need of the hour to uplift the dying Bangladeshi spirit. Abul stole the show and grabbed the limelight but one man's instrumental contribution was overshadowed by the enough brightness of that historic century.

While the tailender went all guns blazing against the West Indies' attack, that man was playing the sheet anchor role to Abul's fluency - Mahmudullah. In the second innings, Bangladesh again found themselves in a desperate situation to save the Test. Another composed presence was required to nurture the tail. But sadly, it was not to be. Mahmudullah was dismissed cheaply and the tail was left without a guardian to show the way. Such is the importance of a player like him in the team during the critical juncture of a match.

It's not the first time that Mahmudullah has played such a role under trying circumstances. Remember Bangladesh's victory over England in last year's World Cup? He and tail-ender Shafiul Islam transformed a futile situation with a glorious blaze of strokeplay into an emotional moment for 16 crore cricket-mad Bangladeshis. At Mirpur in the first Test, with Bangladesh in desperately fighting to avoid the follow-on, Mahmudullah joined Nasir Hossain to essay another big partnership and put his team in a commanding position. Nasir was showered with praises for his adventurous stroke play but Mahmudullah again received nothing despite providing vital support to Nasir's belligerence.

Mahmudullah, the vice-captain of the Bangladesh cricket team, has been an unsung hero of our cricket. We fall in love with cricketers who flaunt their talents like a painter might do with his brush. Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal do that quite often and so does Nasir. The amalgam of skill and composure is the favorite dish for us.

But players like Mahmudullah strike a chord elsewhere. He is meant to be a workmanlike cricketer and not a genius. He accepts this and tries to make the most of it whenever he has been vested with a responsibility. Whenever he walks out to bat, Mahmudullah discovers himself in a planet where there's a disaster everywhere with vulnerable players demanding security and assurance. But he remains unfazed by such critical situations and ensures assurance. He won't flash hard at anything; instead he will concentrate on grafting singles and couples, picking the gaps with deft touches amalgamated with the occasional attacking stroke. 

It's never an easy job to bat with the tail. A tailender demands assurance from the other end and like a VVS Laxman and Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mahmudullah has the ability to provide security to the tail. And it was this assurance that made Abul play so freely on that eventful afternoon in Khulna. Sadly, Mahmudullah doesn't fit the definition of our heroes - dashing, thrilling and adventurous.

He is just a silent work-ant of Bangladesh cricket who continues to contribute effectively whenever times get tough.

Players like Mahmudullah deserve applause and credit because they get up again and again amid a rut and help others reach their goals. Abul was something of a hero for Bangladesh but needed needed assurance from the cool and customized Mahmudullah to reach an impossible goal. That's a hero.

Note: This article has also been published today in cricketnext.com Mahmudullah: The unsung hero of Bangladesh cricket

Thank You

Faisal Caesar

Egos don't destroy, they create legends

Rank-turners were slapped, nightmare against the turning balls were brushed away, weaknesses against left-arm spin was buried as batting supremacy was established with a greater distinction by a man whose future of playing for England looked bleak few months ago. Today, at the Wankhede, Kevin Pietersen unleashed an innings of a lifetime which very few Englishmen can dare to script with as commanding effort as Pietersen.  

A person with ego suffers. Most often he discovers himself alone with the world moving on. By being too introverted he lacks friends and dear ones and for the time being his world get’s finished – burned with self-pride. But, hold on! They do come back. It’s again their ego which relives their spirit from the ashes. They rise from the ashes, challenges the adversity and move on like a tiger. They create their own world which is special and daring than the ordinary world where the ordinary souls exist.

The Mumbai track was prepared to trap the Englishmen in the web of spin and the way the track started to turn from the first day it was expected that the Indian spin-trio would devour the Englishmen haplessly. But Pietersen stood tall and proved his worth for the English team with conviction. It had been innings of a man who cherishes his ego and is used to dish out unique performances depending on his ego. Only a talent can dare to play such knock, only ego can demand such authority.

In the nervous 90’s KP didn’t wilt but went for an outrageous reverse sweep with maximum composure to reach his hundred and then reached his 150-run with an extraordinary pickup over midwicket off the left-arm spin of Ojha. Then there was a genius of a loft over cover for six again against the left-arm spin of Ojha. You could only wish to play for such shots in dreams but men like KP make this possible in reality as they are the children of Hercules, the rare gift of God.

We blame people like KP for being too egoistic, too aggressive and introverted. But it is their ego that helps them to script those impossible epics which the mere good ones can’t even think of. Their ego brings out the best from them and it’s their ego which makes them exceptional. Resistance and caution would be the key to apply on this Mumbai track but for men like KP resistance is boredom, caution is just like eating grass as a tiger doesn’t eat grass.

The Wankhede observed something special which will remain etched in the memories of those present at the stadium and those who watched live on TV. It had been a victory of ego over adversity. It had been a message for those who are always up to hassle the egoistic personalities. Egos don’t destroy, they create legends. And Kevin Pietersen is the legend of the modern generation.

Thank You

Faisal Caesar

Unseen and unheard

Sometimes I can’t express my emotions. Sometimes I have to smile as I have to – to show how strong I am. But you can’t even imagine how tough it is! When you're deeply bleeding from inside it's even tougher to maintain your smile. You just wish to cry as loudly as possible. But you end up crying silently in the dark corners of your heart - unheard, unseen. To everyone you're smiling as usual. But deep down you are standing all alone in a crowded place with tears rolling down.

Thank You

Faisal Caesar

Australia v South Africa - Australia's unique fighting spirit

Today, it had been just like a video game at Adelaide on day one. Graeme Smith was unable to mute for a minute. The Australians unleashed something vintage against a Proteas attack which boasts with Steyn and Morkel. But they were made hapless as Warner, Clarke and Hussey mauled the enough famed South African attack with a rare disdain at a scoring rate of 5 runs an over. From 55-3 to reach a total of 482-5 on day one requires a special mental strength and  none possesses such unique mental strength other than the Australians.

At the Gabba, in the first Test, the Proteas started as the best side in the planet. Their batsmen responded efficiently and their new ball bowlers had the Australians in the mud at 40-3. But as the day progressed, the much sizzle and vigour of the South African side fizzled out in front of some tough Aussies who were bloody-mindedly determined to carry on their fighting spirit. The Australian response was such a gutsy one that it left the South Africans baffled with a fragile spirit. Had a day not been washed out by the rain then the Gabba Test might have gifted the South Africans a shocker of a defeat!

ED Cowan transformed into a fort with astute judgement in defence, Michael Clarke injected momentum in the Australian wrecked ship while Michael Hussey gave Clarke’s momentum more fuel with another hundred. Such sort of response isn’t the first time from an Australian side but we are used to watch their immense display of mental strength years after years, decade after decade with a staggering regularity.

The difference between teams like Australia and the others is with the psychological makeup. Many teams do respond with guts in trying circumstances but there is never a regularity. Whereas, the Aussies continue to spark under adversity again and again.  The reason for this is their unique brain which is well programmed to carry on the legacy of the never say die attitude. And this brain get’s programmed courtesy of their unique cricket culture.

Since the origin of Test cricket, Australia has developed a cricket culture which teaches its students to become tougher. They tend to build a very good team spirit and unity within the team which the others can hardly think of. It’s a comment about their culture and society which is very egalitarian. Their history suggests that they develop a very good spirit under test conditions which brings out the best in their nature – a rarity in many cultures on a regular basis. While most teams bank more on individualisms, Australia cash in on the team’s performance as a whole. And it’s obvious that a good unit will always give a team of individualism testing times.

So, it’s not a surprise that the likes of Michael Clarke, David Warner, ED Cowan, Michael Hussey or Peter Siddle gets charged up whenever they find the going gets tough because these players are polished and refined in a very tough sporting culture. The present Australian side might travel through a transitional period at the moment but it won’t take long to build a champion unit as the Australians are blessed with good spirit and unity.

These are lessons not only for South Africa but also for the other nations, struggling to overcome the transitional period, of how to exhibit will power and unity by not getting overawed by the opposition’s supremacy.  If the Proteas wish to make the Australians run for their money then they must match Australia’s unique mental strength otherwise they will again end up as ‘Chokers.’

Thank You

Faisal Caesar

At least one Abul makes 16 crore Bangladeshi smile

Cricket is a game of glorious uncertainty and certainly Abul Hasan proved that once again today. At 193-8 in the first innings of the second Test against West Indies in Khulna, Bangladesh were down and dusted. In came a debutant cricketer, included in the side to operate with the new ball, at number 10. To the utter surprise of the biggest cricket pundits, that young tail-ender unleashed a sophisticated display of attacking batsmanship. Those drives through the off-side were a left-hander’s delight amalgamated with modern day slogs. A hundred came up amid the cheer of the crowd. Abul became the second number 10 batsman in the history of Test cricket to score a hundred on debut since Reggie Duff of Australia against England at MCG way back in 1901-02. Bangladesh ended the first day from a hopeless position to a respectable 365-8. Abul received good support from Riad at the other end to essay a partnership of 172-run for the ninth wicket. What an amazing achievement this has been! At least one Abul makes 16 crore Bangladeshi smile.

Thank You

Faisal Caesar

Another dream, another nightmare

In the morning, while travelling by the bus to my hospital, I could feel the excitement and enthusiasm amongst our cricket lovers regarding the final day’s play at Mirpur. The people in the bus were highly confident about Bangladesh’s success against the West Indies and they were smelling a victory – a thing which is a rarity in our cricket.

From my mobile I checked the Facebook posts and the Facebook citizens of Bangladesh were oozing with confidence. They just didn’t wish for another Multan incident. All of them wished and prayed wholeheartedly so that our boys don’t bog down when it mattered most. But, reality is very cruel. Our boys again let us down and left us frustrated. In Multan we had lost to a man’s individual brilliance but at Mirpur we lost to ourselves.

Sohag Gazi rattled the Caribbean tail cheaply to claim the honours of being the most successful bowler for Bangladesh on Test debut and Bangladesh were set a target of 245 in their second innings with plenty of time in hand. The fifth day Mirpur track had uneven bounce but it was not as threatening to test the batsmen to the limits. Proper application and patience with a positive temperament was enough to achieve the glory. But instead, the Bangladeshi batsmen triggered the button of self destruction and gifted the West Indies a victory which should’ve been ours.

To chase a total in the fourth innings all a team need is to utilize the momentum gained from the first innings and play out each session without any adrenaline rush. But pathetically Bangladesh spoiled all the hard work simply through irresponsible batting. Tamim fell to a delivery which he could easily leave alone, Junaid went poking outside the off-stump, Nafees played a meaningless pull shot, Nasir was poor while judging the turn, while Gazi skied a shot when an effective partnership with Riad was shifting the momentum towards Bangladesh during a critical juncture of the match.

The end result was another frustrating defeat which again shattered the hopes of millions of cricket fans. It’s not the first time, but it’s happening again and again. With the match well in our grip we tend to let it slip away from our hands. Again and again we are simply failing to display the attitude of a winner. We still have not learned how to win, we still have not learned how to learn from mistakes.

When will we learn?

Can we take the positives earned from this Test match to Khulna for the second Test? Can we keep our confidence intact at Khulna? Do our cricketers feel defeated by this defeat? Or, they will just be happy thinking that this Test match has gone five days and many personal landmarks have been achieved?

As a Test playing nation Bangladesh doesn’t get enough chance to play Test cricket and for which whatever the opportunities come they must not be wasted but should be utilized apt and appropriately to demand respect from those harsh critics who always questions our abilities. But sadly, we blow away the opportunities on a regular basis.

The time has come to build enough character to achieve goals which are well within our reach. The time has come to feel defeated and understand the emotions of those fans who look forward to their favorite sons with hope. The Tigers are murdering our dreams again and again. This should not happen.  

Thank You

Faisal Caesar

Bangladesh's rise to Test status was a long one

On November 10, 2000 Bangladesh played its first Test match. Many eyes were filled with tears as it was a dream which many cricket lovers in Bangladesh dreamt during the time when cricket simply had no chance against soccer after the liberation.

When the ICC announced Bangladesh's Test status on June 26, 2000 many critics were bemused. Plenty were against the ICC's decision. Critics, mostly renowned ex-cricketers, were too harsh with this decision and passed rude comments. But they don't know the tough journey of this small nation towards Test cricket.

After gaining independence in 1971, cricket was no where in Bangladesh. Robin Marler, the famous cricket writer of The Sunday Times, wrote an article recalling the fond memories he had at the then Dhaka Stadium during the East Pakistan era. He was not well aware of the existence of competitive cricket in Bangladesh after the liberation. To him cricket was lost from a country where the capital's largest stadium was once blessed by legendary cricketers.

The sports officials of that time gave more influence on soccer and thus cricket was left in the cold. But cricket's true passion was still burning brightly in the hearts of some passionate cricket fans.

Syed Ashraful Haq, the former general secretary of the BCB, was in England at that time completing his graduation in a London university when he wrote a letter to Marlar in response to his article. He informed Marlar that cricket still existed in Bangladesh and that it boasted a good number of supporters.

That letter started a healthy relationship between Marlar and Ashraful Haq and eventually the efforts of the both and some initiatives from then BCCB convinced the ICC that cricket was still alive. It took eight long years to inform the bosses at Lord's that cricket was breathing in Bangladesh.

In late 1978 Marlar came to visit Bangladesh, this time with an MCC squad. It was a big day at the Rajshahi Stadium. Fans came in thousands crowding the little stadium as if they were about to watch a Mohammedan vs Abahani soccer match on their backyard. Young Raqibul Hasan went into bat and with that Bangladesh entered into international cricket. Many thanks to that government who backed cricket and gave it a life.

The ICC, in due the course of time, conferred Bangladesh an associate membership and inducted it into the ICC Trophy calendar. Thus, Bangladesh began to play international cricket at home and abroad. Every year the team would wait for a provincial Indian team or MCC or a Sri Lankan side to visit. It was becoming a habit by the enthusiastic journalist to ask the visiting team's captain about the progress of our cricket. Dilip Doshi, who visited Bangladesh with a Bengal team, was asked about the progress of our cricket. He bluntly said that we have no quality offspinners and that we couldn't play spin.

A Sri Lankan team visited in the early 1980s and our result against them was pathetic. It just showed the gulf of standard between a new Test team and that of an aspiring one. The same thing happened against the Hyderabad Blues led by Anshuman Gawekwad. Bangladesh were simply overawed by the fact that they had to face top quality opposition bowlers and when they gathered much boldness to face the opposition, the tour would come to an end.

In 1988, cricket commentator and pundit Omar Kureshi visited Bangladesh with a star-studded Pakistan side led by Imran Khan. We were bamboozled by the pace and fury of Imran and Wasim Akram and were clueless against Abdul Qadir. But at the end of the tour something unusual happened in the Bangladesh camp. Rafiqul Alam, known to be an erratic genius, went to face the Pakistani attack and bludgeoned them in the manner that the touring had against our hapless bowlers. It was a memorable scene at the Dhaka Stadium.

At the end of tour Imran had to concede that Bangladesh cricket was rising and would get better with the progress of time. He praised the batting of Rafiq, the pace bowling of Golam Nawsher Prince, the offspin of Azahar Hossain Shantu. And how true were Imran's prognostications on our cricket!

The Pakistan visit in 1988 was a turnaround for Bangladesh cricket. It changed the whole mindset among the cricketers, officials and aficionados. After Imran's remarks, people began to believe that Bangladesh could reach the pinnacle if given enough exposure. In the ICC Trophy, Bangladesh emerged as one of the teams to beat but failed to beat Zimbabwe to the title thrice.

During the 1994 edition of the ICC Trophy, Bangladesh were the overwhelming favorites but fate reminded the team that history is not made easily. A new-look Kenya and UAE side shut the doors for Bangladesh, who undoubtedly had plenty of promising cricketers. By the end of 1994 Bangladesh competed in the SAARC cricket tournament against the likes of Pakistan A, India A and Sri Lanka A. Bangladesh beat India in a pool match and managed to claim a place in the final, where they lost to India. But it was an achievement to be proud of and an indication of the team's progress.

In the 1997 edition of the ICC Trophy Akram Khan led an inspired Bangladesh to their first victory in the championship. In a nail-biting final against Kenya in Kuala Lampur, the Tigers created history by beating Kenya and thus progressed for their first ever World Cup. In 1998, Bangladesh hosted the inaugural ICC knockout tournnament which is now known as the Champions Trophy. The then government was able to realize the thirst and passion of Bangladeshi fans and took a bold step to arrange a mega tournament in Dhaka.

Cricket pundits all over the world were amazed to see the enthusiasm among the people of Bangladesh towards cricket. Even a match between Zimbabwe and New Zealand confirmed a packed stadium. Cricket madness in Bangladesh had been advertised wonderfully during that tournament.

In 1999 Bangladesh made its World Cup appearance. The start was shocking against New Zealand but as the tournament progressed the team improved, with wins over Scotland and Pakistan showing that they could compete. The victory against Pakistan made the ICC think about granting the country Test status. Inspections were made on the domestic structure and Bangladesh's wealth of talents. Thankfully, the country's domestic structure proved more than sound.

Since the victory against Pakistan the cricket board officials took up the challenge of getting Bangladesh Test status. Their intense and enterprising lobbying, the ever-growing passion among the people of Bangladesh, Eddie Barlow, the then coach of Bangladesh, and a successful presentation to the ICC that cricket was thriving in Bangladesh and could continue to do so in the years to come, made the ICC realize that Bangladesh had qualified to join the elite Test club.

All this did not happen easily. November 10, 2000 was not scripted in the twinkle of an eye. There were stories of plenty of upsets, plenty of pain, plenty of tears, plenty of applications, plenty of hard work, plenty of patience and plenty of insults behind Bangladesh's journey towards Test cricket. History was not made easy.

Note: This article has been published on Cricketnext on 10/10/2012  Bangladesh's rise to Test status was a long one

Thank You

Faisal Caesar

Was Akram Khan and Co victimized by nepotism?

The Caribbean team are in town to play a Test series against us. This Caribbean side are a different cattle of fish this time around. Recent success against the Kiwis and victory in the World T20 has made them confident, they are a dynamic bunch of individuals who are destined to give the opposition tougher times.  In the batting they have the dash and flair while in the bowling sector they possess immense guile and variation. Undoubtedly, the Tigers, who will be playing Test cricket after a year, are up to face some gritty Calypso music.

To face the Calypso music the Tigers need a team which will offer dynamism and for which and ideal blend of youth and tried and tested packages are needed. You can’t challenge a team beaming with confidence with dull figures. But sadly, the Bangladeshi selectors opted for dullness.

I am surprised by the omission of Enamul Haque junior. What Enamul need to prove to the selectors is to give his life to prove his worth and get selected in the national squad. What he has not proved? Over the years, Enamul has been a consistent bunny. But sadly, they were not enough to impress the selectors who showed faith upon the out of form Elias Sunny. Perhaps, Elias Sunny’s success in the last series against the West Indies propelled Akram Khan and Co to select Elias Sunny, but why was not Enamul’s last series against the Caribbean in 2009 being considered which was a major success?

A squad should be built upon a player’s recent performance and in that sense Enamul should have been there. Akram Khan defended Enamul’s exclusion with the availability of Shakib and perhaps, he wishes the operation of a right arm off-spinner alongside Shakib. Young gun Sohag Gazi has been included with the plan to aid Shakib, but I don’t mind in operating two left-arm spinners from both the ends. As, the left-arm spinners have been our strength for long and it’s wise to play according to our strength.

If Akram Khan is concerned too much with the experience factor then Shakib’s guile needs the incisiveness and experience of Enamul. But sadly, the selectors didn’t realize this. Again, we can see that tried and tested customer Nazmul Hasan has been omitted and an inexperienced Abul Hasan has been included. Abul’s inclusion has been defended with his ability to bowl with pace. But what is pace if it lacks direction? It’s useless. Nazmul Hasan, at the other hand, has developed enough control over his bowling and in the domestic circuit he has been very productive. If Akram Khan wanted experience then Nazmul Hasan should feature in the Test squad.

Test cricket is a stage where one needs to exhibit courage, intelligence and skill. Many young talents, in the history of Test cricket, have displayed these since their introduction to Test cricket. Shakib and Tamim from Bangladesh has been proving it since their entry in Test cricket. And players like Anamul, Soumaya and Litton Das are well blessed with these qualities. The fans expected their inclusion in the Test side as, at least, they are way better than dull and flop characters like Nazimuddin or Junaid Siddique. Young and gifted players add dynamism to the team but for which a selector is needed to be bold and intelligent to recognize such talents.

By ignoring the exuberance of youth and experience of the tested customers Akram Khan and Co are giving us the impression of lacking the eyes and brain to recognize and utilize talents. Or, should I say they have been victimized by nepotism? Their acts are hinting such.

The only encouraging inclusion has been Sohag Gazi. But he must feature in the XI rather than carrying drinks. 

Thank You

Faisal Caesar

Test cricket's return will set November on fire

As soon as the ICC World Twenty20 was finished, cricket fans were given another round of the shortest format in the form of the Champions League Twenty20. But unlike the tournament in Sri Lanka, the CLT20 failed to generate enough enthusiasm because it simply lacked charm and attraction. Though it commenced with enough promise the CLT20 ended in utter silence - that is, the public's lack of interest.

Perhaps, after a high quality international cricket bonanza in the World Twenty20, an exhibition of league cricket was not enough to quench the thirst of cricket fans. Another Twenty20 tournament less than 48 hours after one concluded made October something of an exhaustive month for cricket.

All that will change in November, when Test cricket resumes with the toughest rock stars of world cricket.

First up, a spicy buildup to the India-England Test series has been made by the wars of words before the start of the series. Michael Vaughan launched it while Virat Kohli replied in his usual bold manner. Both teams have some exciting talents in their side to make the contest mouth watering. The return of Kevin Pietersen is a big thing for Test cricket and his performance will be instrumental in determining England's fate in this series.

On the other hand the Indians are supposed to tough in their own backyard and going by the way Yuvraj Singh picked five wickets in a warm-up win the host spinners could yet again expose an English weakness against spin. This series could also determine the fate of Sachin Tendulkar's future. Big bats boom on big occasions. Will Tendulkar discover another wind in his career through this series? Time will answer.

If any Test series was worth watching last year then it was the clash between Australia and South Africa. From astonishing batting collapses to gutsy batting performances to brilliant fielding, the whole series in South Africa was a treat to watch. These two teams will meet again this November to settle the score. 

Undoubtedly, South Africa are favorites but never underestimate the Aussies who are born fighters.

South Africa's batting and bowling departments are far superior to the Australians, but no matter how superior a batting or bowling line up you possess, you're sure to be tested by the strong determination of the Aussies. Above all, there will be thunder down under as it will be a battle of the finest and attractive fast bowlers in the world - a rarity in modern day cricket.

Sri Lanka and West Indies will be playing against New Zealand and Bangladesh respectively. On Sri Lankan tracks it's not possible for New Zealand to survive, neither is it possible for Bangladesh to face a super confident West Indies in Test cricket. But if both Bangladesh and New Zealand can put up a fight then the contest might get interesting.

Plenty of action is on offer in November. Fasten your seat belts and get ready for a thrilling ride. Surely, the cricketing world will catch fire this month.

Note: This article has been published today in cricketnext.com  Test cricket's return will set November on fire

 Thank You

Faisal Caesar