Nasir Hossain is one of cricket's mercurial assets

In the rain-hit final ODI against Sri Lanka at Kandy, Bangladesh were set a target of 183 in 27 overs. Mohammad Ashraful and Anamul Haque had given Bangladesh a fluent start before inclement weather interfered. When play resumed after a heavy shower, Bangladesh needed 105 runs in 13.2 overs. Their start was positive but as usual panic had set up amongst the batsmen as wickets were gifted to the Sri Lankans.

With the run rate climbing higher and another opportunity seemingly wasted, one man stood firm to script a historic win. That man was Nasir Hossain, who refused to get affected by the panic which let his captain Mushfiqur Rahim set off for an unnecessary run and sacrifice his wicket. The fall of a few more wickets made the situation even muggier. But Nasir was not about to give up easily. He continued to maneuver the innings with enough composure and saved his best for the final onslaught.

Bangladesh needed 17 runs off 12 balls. Batting with the tail, Nasir decided to unleash a cold-blooded assault on Sri Lankan medium-pacer Thisara Perera. The first ball of the 25th over was slapped past extra cover for four with a golf-like swing and Nasir followed it up with tee-off to cow corner to reduce the target to eight off ten balls. Parera's fourth ball was again slapped to the cow corner boundary. A brilliant acrobatic piece of fielding by Nuwan Kulasekara, who saved a certain six, didn't let Nasir finish the match in grand style. The glorious moment came from Sohag Gazi whose wild swing sent the ball over the wicketkeeper's head to script history.

At Kandy, Nasir was the hero for Bangladesh. Had he not been there, Bangladesh would have digested another frustrating defeat. It's not the first time that he has provided solidity to Bangladesh's innings. Like the composed Mahmudullah, Nasir too comes to bat lower down and most of the time bats with the tail. With gentle looks and a boyish flair, Nasir dishes out onslaughts in a more cultured manner to leave the opposition baffled. Nasir's biggest asset is his ability to switch gear according to the situation. If the situation demands stability he would bat like a saint and when it demands a drastic approach, he would go aggressive.

At the age of 13, Nasir moved to Bangladesh's sports institute and very quickly his talent caught everyone's attention. He represented the Bangladesh Under-19 side at the age of 16 in 2008. One of Bangladesh's famous first-class teams, Abahani, recruited him at a very tender age. They took a risk with Nasir by giving him chances in first-class matches. It was feared that Nasir would crumble under pressure, but he proved everyone wrong with his rock solid temperament and composure. He earned applauds for showing the courage to open the bowling against Sanath Jayasuriya who was representing Mohammedan at that time.

Nasir made his ODI debut against Zimbabwe in 2011. His batting prowess was evident since his debut as he made a steady 68 to give the Bangladesh innings a respectability which was at bay at 58 for 6. Bangladesh lost the match but Nasir kept on shining. He scored his first ODI hundred against Pakistan at Mirpur in 2011 and as time progressed he has evolved into Bangladesh cricket's Mr. Consistent. His power of consistency is not only limited to ODIs or T20s but in Test cricket he's equally a prolific run scorer. Both in Tests and ODIs, his batting average is even healthier than many of the top-order Bangladesh batsmen. He averages over 40-plus in both formats of the game. Again, his talent is not limited to only batting, but his bowling too is very tricky and sharp. He has the ability to outfox batsmen any moment with his teasing offspinners and even he can bowl three-quarter-length deliveries when needed and his fielding itself is an exciting thing to watch. Undoubtedly, he's a mercurial talent.

Nasir can finish matches. For a long time, Bangladesh lacked such a finisher. Finishers in cricket are a rare breed. In crunch situations they remain cool even when team-mates get affected by the magnitude of the situation. Their nerves are made of steel while their aim to steer the ship towards the shore remain intact. In the end, they have the last laugh. Nasir Hossain, in the course of time, will turn out to be one of cricket's finest finishers. He's an asset for world cricket.

Note: This article has been published today on Cricketnext.com part of CNN IBN Nasir Hossain is one of cricket's mercurial assets 

Thank You

Faisal Caesar

Thank you England

 

"But snatching a draw from the jaws of a certain defeat is something prolific and for England’s such a gallant effort, Test cricket’s flag is flying proudly. In that case, I wish to thank England for making Test cricket beautiful and exciting," Writes Faisal Caesar 

So, what’s up?

Still, rejoicing India’s whitewash triumph over the pathetic Australians?

Still moved by Dhawan, Dhoni, Vijay, or Pujara’s batting expertise? Are you still wondering about how Ravindra Jadeja proved to be so sharp against the Australians?

Are you sad that the Australians are sliding downwards?

 Surely, you expected that the Pakistanis will make the South Africans run for their money. They did have the charisma to do that.

But, the South Africans were much better!

Pakistan couldn’t match the might of South Africa.

Now there, Bangladesh had put up a spirited show against the Sri Lankans in the Test series. Some exciting talents from Bangladesh did catch your attention and you all fell in praising them. So many actions were going on. So many talents blazed and for which you had totally forgotten what was happening in Downunder. Did you even think of following the New Zealand vs England Test series? Did you forget about it? Right? Exactly you did forget.

Who will follow the New Zealand vs England Test series? After the Kiwis dismal show in South Africa and the whole unit being in such a lean patch and not boasting with million-dollar babies, it’s obvious that you won’t be attracted to such a Test series. As because more than the cricketing aspects, it’s the glamorous stars and million-dollar babies that makes your perfect cricketing dish.

I think you are wrong!

Believe me, New Zealand and England gifted us one of the best of Test cricket in an era when you are ringing the death bell of Test cricket.

Since the Test series between New Zealand and England had started, it did offer some scintillating performances. The first Test offered some wonderfully crafted hundred and an English fight back to save the day while the second Test too was heading towards a thrilling end until inclement weather interfered to spoil everything. Test matches at Dunedin and Christchurch offered wonderful batsmanship of Hamish Rutherford, Alastair Cook, Brendan McCullum, and some brilliant exhibition of nagging, incisive, and lethal swing bowling by Boult, Wagener, and Co.

The third Test at Auckland had been simply heart-stopping!

With New Zealand on top, dominating throughout the sessions, the majority of the spectators thought of one-way traffic. On the final day, England needed another 391 runs to win the series and they had just six wickets in hand.

The English batters went defensive but the determined Kiwi bowlers were taking wickets at regular intervals and were all set to register their first win over England on their home soil since 1983-84. Matt Prior rose to the occasion with fluent strokes and it seemed he was fighting a losing battle. Prior registered a hundred but when James Andreson walked back towards the pavilion, New Zealand’s victory was a matter of time. 19 balls were remaining for the day and the Kiwis just needed one wicket to create history.

Brendon McCullum tried all sorts of aggressive fielding to fetch the last wicket of Monty Panesar but Monty was an immovable object. He had put a price tag on his wicket. His negotiation of the impressive Trent Boult in the last over simply wrecked everyone’s nerves. From the brink of a definite defeat, England went on to draw the Test match. The final day had all the subjects for a cricket romanticist to essay a thrilling drama.

Sadly, many didn’t witness this magical final day’s play. Many didn’t even bother to follow the Test series as well. But mind you, you have missed the beauty of Test cricket. The twists and turns of cricket can only be discovered in Test matches and not in modern day’s craze – T20 cricket. Auckland has given an answer to those who end up saying that Test cricket’s lifespan is shortening.

Throughout the Auckland Test match, the Kiwis had been way better than England. According to many, they should have been worthy winners. But snatching a draw from the jaws of a certain defeat is something prolific and for England’s such a gallant effort, Test cricket’s flag is flying proudly. In that case, I wish to thank England for making Test cricket beautiful and exciting. 

Note: This article has been posted in Cricketsoccer on 27/03/2013 Thank You England

Thank You

Faisal Caesar

The Aussies need to rekindle their ruthless razzmatazz

Congratulations to MS Dhoni for nailing the Aussies by a 4-0 margin. Suddenly, the critics have changed their tone; MS Dhoni and coach Duncan Fletcher aren’t the scapegoats anymore. Though, even a couple of months ago, people were after Dhoni and Fletcher’s heads. But things have changed now and India has successfully come out of the horrors of the shambolic past with a commendable performance. A gentle breeze is blowing in the Indian camp.

But for the Australians things aren’t looking rosy at all. After a 4-0 bashing, the Australian cricket are in the mud. It had not been the Australian unit we are actually used to witness. We all witnessed an Australian unit which has surrendered meekly. Whereas, traditionally, the Australians are fighters who never give up till the last minute.

The Aussie batsmen were shaky – too allergic against the turning ball and in the second innings they continued to fail in the most ignominious manner. The Australian bowlers were just running and bowl without a purpose and proper intention while the fielders were less energetic throughout the Test series. Michael Clarke has been the only batsman to strike gold, but his own batting consistency weren’t enough to keep his team from sinking. Again, controversy had haunted this Australian side which is very unusual. 

The Australian team in India lacked passion, purpose, heart and above all - aggression. Yes, this Australian team doesn’t breathe fire when the battle is tough. This Australian team doesn’t hunt and don’t feel defeated after digesting heavy defeats. It is lacking that intimidating factor which has been the part and parcel of Australian cricket and has been instrumental in setting up many wins in the past. Even though, at Delhi, we did notice some aggressive verbal practice from the Australian players but they didn’t bear enough importance as an ideal balance between mental intimidation and aggressive cricket remained absent. Australia’s verbal aggression only indicated of a unit who were literally frustrated with themselves.

They are saying that this touring Australian unit lacks the experience in touring India and for which they didn’t click. It sounds like un-Australian. An Australian doesn’t defend such a way.

When Allan Border toured India in 1986, it consisted of players who were touring India for the first time. And those inexperienced but enthusiastic bunch of Aussies were against the giants of the game. But they didn’t get afraid against the likes of Gavaskars, Kapils and Shastris and gave that World Champion Indian team a run for their money. As a matter of fact, that young and inexperienced Australian side’s body language was energetically aggressive enough to accept any of the opposition’s challenges. They never bogged down under adversity. Similarly, Mark Taylor took a low-profile Australian side to the West Indies in 1995. Taylor didn’t have a great attack, except Shane Warne to dent the mighty Caribbean batting. Neither did he have a solid batting line up to face the fury of Ambrose and Walsh. But in 1995, Australia ended West Indies’ unbeaten run in Test cricket. The mantra was an ideal balance between mental intimidation and aggressive cricket.

The Australian aggression was rekindled under Allan Border and Bob Simpson in a very crucial period of Australian cricket. With Greg Chappell, Dennis Lillee and Rod Marsh leaving the scene, Australia found themselves in the middle of nowhere. Allan Border took over the captaincy and Bob Simpson was made the coach in a period of time when Australian cricket had hit the rock bottom. Border and Simpson were not blessed with great talents but they did have some passionate bunch of individuals who were brought under a certain work ethics and one of the important ethics was to develop a unique aggressive nature to dent the opposition’s psyche – an aggression which made a perfect balance between the body language, words and deeds. A new Australian era had begun.

The legacy of Allan Border was carried on by Mark Taylor, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting but Michael Clarke is finding it hard to carry on that legacy. But Michael Clarke is lacking Border’s boldness and flair, Taylor’s daring and diplomacy and Steve Waugh’s ruthless razzmatazz. Michael Clarke’s captaincy and man management skills aren’t shining as brightly as his batting. But that’s not expected from an Aussie leader.

Being the captain, Michael Clarke must reinstall the aggression within his men. Like Border and Simpson, Clarke and Mickey Arthur must sort out a certain work ethic to galvanize his men. Clarke must make his men understand the value of the Baggy Green cap. Michael Clarke must make his men an army of ruthless men. Without rekindling the aggressive flair, the Australian team won’t come back on track. Michael Clarke has to be the messiah of his team to essay the Renaissance of a ruthless Australian team.

Thank You

Faisal Caesar

Sri lanka v Bangladesh - The same mistakes were repeated once again!

The Colombo Test has gone in favour of Sri Lanka. It’s nothing surprising though as they were expected to win the series. But what they didn’t expect was a competitive Bangladeshi display. In the previous meetings, the Lankans used to maul us brutally. But this time around the Tigers did put up brave efforts to make the Lankans run for their money.

At Colombo, till the fourth day morning, you still weren’t sure on which side the game going to shift its balance. Bangladesh’s performance had been so spirited that it raised the possibilities of a tight finish and even a Bangladesh win. But sadly, again, our boys squandered an opportunity to create history. The Test match could have been written in letters of gold in the history of Bangladesh cricket but it was not be. It remained as another wasted opportunity.

Any defeat crops up from quite a few factors and Bangladesh’s defeat at Colombo had not been without them. There had been quite a few factors in Colombo involved which were repeated again like the past.

1. Panic becomes contagious easily:

Bangladeshi batsmen were looking good and solid in the third day afternoon. Jahurul Islam along with Mominul was expected to end the day without any more damage. Jahurul was patient and composed enough. But suddenly, Jahurul’s brain exploded. From nowhere he dished out a wild effort to charge down the wicket against Herath which resulted in a needless loss of wicket in late afternoon. That one rush of adrenaline had disturbed the momentum and set panic in the batting line up from which our batsmen never recovered. It became contagious and thus our batsmen folded cheaply without being able to put up a fighting target for the Lankans. Even our bowlers looked down and seemed to have been affected by such panic. It’s not the first time that such panic disorder has attacked our batters but time and again it has grabbed them in an ugly manner to spoil the party. Captain Mushfiq and coach Jurgensen must work on this. The sound momentum must not slide due to panic disorder and learning to bring the derailed train back on track should be taken into account.

2. Picking the bowlers without realizing our actual strength:

Other than Mashrafe Bin Mortaza we still haven’t produced quality pace bowlers. As a matter of fact, pace bowlers have never been our actual strength. It has been our spinners, especially the left-arm spinners, who have always been highly influential for us. So in that case, picking up three seamers at Colombo was a bad pick and picking a lethargic and off-mood-type-bowling-action-bowler Robiul Islam who continuously flirted with his front-foot while pitching it on the popping crease had been the worst pick. Leaving a quality left-arm spinner like Abdur Razzak in the dressing room simply made no sense. The Colombo track had been a two-paced deck where pace bowlers never enjoyed conventional swing but the tricky bounce and sharp turn that made batting difficult. In that sense, a left-arm spinner would have struck gold. Herath proved with his guile how effective left-spinners could be on this Colombo track. Gazi simply needed a partner to aid him. But he was not provided with that. So, in the future, it’s very important for Mushfiq and the coach to realize Bangladesh’s actual strength and surface a XI accordingly.

3. Too much dependency on boundary-based batting:

Our batsmen are free-flowing stroke makers. They enjoy hitting the ball and love to watch the ball hitting boundary ropes more often. Good attacking intentions, but they don’t count in all circumstances. When the circumstances are quite tough then it’s wise to mute this aggressive mood and cash on singles and couples. At Colombo, on that two-paced deck and sluggish outfield, Bangladeshis were needed to apply such tactic. I found blaming the sluggish outfield a bit lame. While playing Test cricket, you will never be gifted with easy options. You need to conquer those tiny battles. Maneuvering the strike on a regular basis rather than being too dependent on boundaries could have added more runs to the total. Seeking for more boundaries on such a track can only script transient moments of super-sonic glory but those glories loses its way in the course of time. Boundary-based batting in Test cricket is an old disease amongst our batsmen. Sadly, it has still remained untreated. The regular rotation of strikes and more dependency on singles and couples should be habituated amongst our batsmen in the near future.

4. Not picking a player on merit:

 Watching Robiul Islam bowling was like having an ischemic stroke repeatedly. With such a pathetic action and poor rhythm how can he get selected remains a moot question! On the domestic circuit there have been quite a few good performers and way better than Robiul. Even in first-class cricket Robiul doesn’t even qualify to play let alone playing in a Test side. Selecting a player in Test cricket should be on merit and this is not happening in our cricket on a regular basis. The selectors must be cautious from now on.

In the end, the Tigers have lost to a better team and as an optimist I can only remain confident with our boys for the better outcomes – regular victories -  in times to come. But the cherished victories will never come if our boys keep on repeating the same mistakes again and again. The candle of hope will be blown out by the gusty wind full of mistakes.

Thank You
Faisal Caesar

Adversity has always motivated Bangladesh

History suggests that whenever adversity has shown its ugly face it has made the Bangladesh cricket team united and immensely motivated to give their best shot.

In 2008, the controversial Indian Premiere League devastated our cricket as many of the country's stalwarts flew to play there, thus leaving our cricket in tatters. But our boys replied with a fighting performance in the series against New Zealand. In 2009, in the middle of the first Test against West Indies, captain Mashrafe Mortaza injured himself, but the Tigers gelled together to beat West Indies on their home ground and claimed a historic Test and ODI series win. In 2010, during the first ODI against New Zealand, Mortaza injured himself but Bangladesh notched up a whitewash against a potent New Zealand attack.

Last year, before the Asia Cup, an unhealthy tussle took place between chief selector Akram Khan and then BCB boss Mustafa Kamal, regarding Tamim Iqbal's omission from the squad. The team was totally out of focus but ended up as runners-up. In the same year, before the series against West Indies, head coach Richard Pybus suddenly resigned from his job. Still, the boys were the winners in the ODI series.

Bangladesh flew to Sri Lanka without many of their key players. Shakib Al Hasan was declared unfit as he was suffering from 'compartment syndrome' and needed urgent surgery. The BCB announced the team without him. Further misfortune overshadowed Bangladesh's preparations as key members like Shahriar Nafees, Naeem Islam and Enamul Haque Jr. injured themselves during a practice session.

At Galle, Sri Lanka's most happy hunting ground, the host batsmen were on song on a placid track. Bangladesh's exhibition was as usual quite shoddy on the field. Sri Lanka posted a mammoth 570 for 4 and everyone expected a Bangladeshi follow-on. But to the surprise of all, the Tigers put up a commanding performance and even took a lead in the first innings. They made the Sri Lankan bowlers grind under the hot sun.

Three centuries were scored in the Bangladeshi innings. Mohammad Ashraful, a late inclusion in the squad, justified his talent with one of the most composed hundreds of his career. Some of the shots he played were a purist's delight. It was a stand-out performance by a man whose cricketing career was almost over. This innings has been a life-saver for this team.

Mushfiqur Rahim displayed his class with a Bangladesh's first double-century. Sandwiched between these two colossal knocks was Nasir Hussain's maiden century, while 21-year old Mominul Haque's stroke-filled 55 caught everyone's attention. With fluid wrists, astute footwork and pristine timing, Mominul hinted at big promise for the future.

Bangladesh drew the first Test and that too in a dominating fashion against their most fearsome opposition Sri Lanka. Without the main players such performance is certainly praiseworthy. Surely, adversity has motivated the boys to script history.

Bangladesh has embarked on a new era. Rather than losing their batting temperament - no matter how flat the track is - with the sight of a big total, the boys maintained their composure and patience excellently. In the past, in Test cricket, rush of blood had destroyed many promising innings to invite havocs. But this time around, the adrenaline outflow was controlled and occupation at the crease became the only motto. A new attitude and a good one indeed.

This excellent show must not fade away in Colombo where the second Test match will be played. Previously, one good display had always been overshadowed by a string of pathetic performances. Bangladesh's biggest enemy is their inconsistency. Rather than basking in the Galle Test's glory, the team must work harder so that this wonderful rhythm doesn't get lost.

Note: This article has been published today in cricketnext.com http://ibnlive.in.com/blogs/faisalcaesar/3379/64397/adversity-has-always-motivated-bangladesh.html

Thank You

Faisal Caesar

Mominul Haque - Bold and impressive!

Well what a day it had been for the Bangladesh cricket team! Under the bright sunshine at Galle, against a very decent Sri Lankan attack, the Bangladeshi batsmen dominated in such a commanding manner that it had left its harshest critic speechless. At Galle, since the first ball was bowled, it has been an exhibition of scoring tons. Surely, a grand sale of hundreds was going on and nothing surprising, against a mediocre Bangladeshi attack, the Lankan batsmen were reaching tons in a merry.

Against Sri Lanka’s massive first innings total and with Herath in sublime form, it was least expected that our batsmen would be able to join Galle’s century-scoring exhibition. But the Tigers did join the exhibition by denting the Lankan attack. The nation, depressed with unnecessary political turmoils, were able to smile and celebrate as they rediscovered their lost hero Mohammad Ashraful in such a supreme touch that it has left us all rethinking about this man’s talent and abilities.

With Ashraful, Mushfiq too enjoyed an awesome day of Test cricket with the willow as he notched up a Test ton to his name. Their stand of 261 is the highest partnership for Bangladesh in their 13-year old Test history. Galle is traditionally Sri Lanka’s most favourite ground as they’re used to crush their oppositions here. But Ashraful and Mushfiq were unfazed by such records and made the third day  one of the most historic days in the history of Bangladesh cricket.

Bangladeshi cricket pundits are all expressing their various views on Ashraful and Mushfiq’s masterful batting display. In between Ashraful’s class act and Mushfiq’s gritty batting, my eyes were enlightened and amazed to see a baby-faced boy hailing from Bangladesh’s coastal region, Cox’s Bazar. He was selected as a replacement of Shakib Al Hasan and took on the responsibility of the fragile Bangladeshi middle-order. To many, it was too much to ask from a 21-year old prodigy and personally, when I discovered him coming into bat at number four position, I was quite anguished.

But when the little boy started to bat, my heated temper had started to cool down and I just couldn’t keep my focus away from the little boy’s courage and manner of stroke play. His first boundary came against Eranga with a cut behind backward point and since then his bat scripted eight more flashy boundaries which were a mixture of concrete technique, fluid wrists, astute footwork and lack of fear. He didn’t dare to skip down the wicket against the teasing Herath nor did he dare to slice the Lankan pacers. His maiden Test fifty came up against a Kulasekara fullish delivery which was punched over the non-striker’s end with a straight bat towards the boundary with a rare disdain. His entertaining chicky knock didn’t last long but as a matter of fact that 55-run has blessed Bangladesh with a momentum which has been well maintained by Ashraful and Mushfiq.

Mominul made his first-class debut in 2008-09 after being nurtured well at BKSP. In 2010, he featured in the Bangladesh Under 19 squad and the following year, National Cricket Academy called him as their 2011 graduate and he continued to fare well in the domestic circuit as a middle-order batsman. His occasional left-arm orthodox spin too were critical. He was called to tour the West Indies with the Bangladesh ‘A’ side and blazed with a 150 in the opening match of the tour. Despite his consistent performance in the domestic circuit, he failed to earn the national selectors’ attention. A back to back first class hundreds earned him a place in the national squad as a replacement of Shakib for the first two ODIs against West Indies in 2012. He was impressive if not instrumental. Had Shakib been there Mominul would not have been featuring this time around. But destiny wanted to gift Bangladesh something special, destiny wished Mominul to exhibit his exuberance of youth.

You are busy with Ashraful and Mushfiq but my heart has been touched by this little boy Mominul Haque's talent. He brings in the flavor of a Bangladeshi village kid – full of enthusiasm. Mominul is our cricket’s fresh flavour with plenty of promises.He has the dash and flair to enrich our cricket. He is a talent, bustling with energy and determined to carry on our cricket a long way. Mominul is nothing but a pocket-sized dynamo – bold and impressive.

Thank You

Faisal Caesar

Which Australian side are we witnessing?

The Hyderabad Test didn’t offer any exciting cricket but gifted us another heavily one sided affair like the Chennai Test match. At Hyderabad, only one team looked out and out dominant and that had been the home team – India. They outclassed their guests in all departments to take a dominant 2-0 lead. Surprisingly, the visitors named Australia, who are well known for their never-say-die-spirit, were a shadow of their glorious past. In India, Australia had always been under achievers. But in the last decade, since this Border-Gavaskar trophy had become a mouth-watering stuff, Australia hardly exhibited such sort of spineless cricket on Indian soil.  

Border-Gavaskar trophy has always been one of my most cherished Test series apart from the Ashes and Indo-Pak clash. With Indo-Pak series being trapped by political circus and Ashes being too much one sided, the Border-Gavaskar trophy has been offering some epic encounters for the last twelve years. But I guess, it is coming to an end. In 2011, we witnessed a one sided Test series down under with Australia drowning India brutally and at present, India are repeating the same brutality on their rivals. On both the occasions, we were being deprived of fighting-displays which has given this Border-Gavaskar a different dimension in the world cricket.

Being a fan of Australia’s never say die attitude, I always follow Australian cricket as on any trying and testing circumstances, the Australians are habituated to put up an inspiring performance to make the contest a close call. You might see Australia lose but rather than clapping for the winning team, you will surely stand up and salute the unique Australian fighting spirit. Surprisingly, we aren’t observing such valiant fighters from Australia at present.

Which Australian side are we witnessing now?

We are witnessing an Australian unit which is going down with an embarrassing rapidity. We are witnessing an Australian unit which looks a perplexed unit when the situation demands a fight back. We are witnessing an Australian side which has forgotten to carry on the legacy of Border, Taylor, Chappell and Steve Waugh. Sadly, this Australian side gives up easily and loses their way when the going gets tough.

Australia did not surface an ideal Test XI at Chennai and Hyderabad. I just didn’t understand why Australia persisted with Phil Hughes who has proved his incompetency time and again. By the way, Is the number four position an ideal slot for Shane Watson? Number four is a very important position in Test cricket and requires the service of a specialist batsman.

Australia should have built a spin combination with Lyon and Doherty. Rather than relying on one specialist spinner it would have been sensible to play two specialist spinners and in between Moises and Maxwell, Australia should have persisted only with one all-rounder. Australia’s plan to put India under pressure through sheer pace proved to be a failed mission.

The Australian pace bowlers did try the reverse swing but what is reverse swing without thunderous pace – It’s nothing but a waste. We did witness the likes of Siddle and Strac to apply the reverse swing but they were not thrown at an extreme pace and thus their efforts couldn’t fetch better results. Hardly, we could witness any wicket-taking balls delivered by them. The Australian pace bowlers biggest asset, over the years, has been leg-cutters and off-cutters – pitching them on the back of a length around the corridor of uncertainty. Reverse swing has never been an Australian weapon to create a havoc. The Australian pace bowlers were disciplined but never had been there was aggression with a proper intensity.

Above all, in this crisis situation, the best shot must come from Michael Clarke. Michael Clarke should bat up the order rather than wasting himself at number 5. He should bring on a certain resolve in this disorganized Australian unit like Alastair Cook did for England. Clarke’s bat must prove to be a fort in Australia’s second innings. Both at Chennai and Hyderabad, it had been in the second innings where Australia looked at their worst best. On both the occasions, Michael Clarke’s bat was needed to tame the Indian spinners. Sadly, Clarke couldn’t be a Cook and Australia lacked a lighthouse to show them the way.

Thank You

Faisal Caesar

Mohammad Ashraful's best shot at reviving his career

One of the most surprising aspects regarding the Bangladesh Test squad for the tour to Sri Lanka was the exclusion of Marshall Ayub, a top-notch performer in domestic cricket. Time and again, Marshall had shown his temperament to occupy the crease and appetite to pile up big scores. But in spite of being consistent he failed to earn Akram Khan and Co's sympathy.

At the same time, the left-arm spinner Enamul Haque Jr was called up. Like Marshall, Enamul has been another consistent player in first-class cricket and deserved a place in the national side. He last featured in the national squad back in 2009 in the historic Test series in the West Indies.

But a day after the announcement of the national squad, cricket fans discovered a twist in the tale. Suddenly, Marshall discovered himself in the squad while Enamul remained the ill-fated boy of Bangladesh cricket. Marshall replaced the injured Naeem Islam while Enamul injured himself in a net session and made way for Elias Sunny. The loss of Enamul is a huge blow. With Shakib Al Hasan not around to carry the Bangladeshi bowling, Enamul was supposed to lead the attack. Sadly, lady luck didn't smile upon him.

But the man to receive another chance to revamp his dying career is Bangladesh cricket's once-upon-a-time toast of the nation - Mohammad Ashraful, who has replaced Shahriar Nafees, who like Enamul and Naeem injured himself during practice. The focus will be on Ashraful and how he utilizes this opportunity to rediscover himself. It was on this same tour that Ashraful burst into the scene as a teenage prodigy 12 years ago, scoring a hundred on debut at the age of 16 against the likes of Muttiah Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas. Ashraful quickly became the poster boy of Bangladesh cricket but as time progressed, he started to fade away. There were flashes of his talents but they never transformed into success on a regular basis.

In the history of Bangladesh cricket, Ashraful is a very important phenomenon. He has been very influential in giving Bangladesh the realization to script victories by denting the top team's psychology with a mixture of aggression and composure. His clinical hundred against Australia at Cardiff in 2005 and 87 against South Africa in the 2007 World Cup proves that. While he played a few quality attacks in Test cricket, these performances were overshadowed by an ugly inconsistency. Despite his inconsistent performance the selectors still persisted with him but at one stage the selectors' patience was lost. Ashraful was never a regular member in the side.

If one factor is to be blamed behind Ashraful's decline then it's only himself. Ashraful, throughout his career, has always been a very reluctant individual. He never found within himself the discipline and hard work which is much needed to preserve god-gifted talent. No matter how talented an individual might be, if he doesn't work hard and focus on polishing the gray areas then that talent simply gets lost with time.

With the emergence of Shakib, Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim and NasirHossain the need for Ashraful in the side has never been felt. Bangladesh cricket has moved on without its most gifted son. But luck has smiled upon Ashraful again. Very recently, in the domestic cricket, he found himself amongst the runs. Though they weren't enough to earn a Test call amid high profile performers like Mehrab Hossain Jr or Marshall, destiny has given Ashraful another go.

This is his best chance to bring a derailed career back on track. Will we observe a rejuvenated Ashraful or keep on cursing him again for spoiling another golden opportunity?

Note: This article has been published in Cricketnext.com on 1/3/2013

 http://ibnlive.in.com/blogs/faisalcaesar/3379/64363/mohammad-ashrafuls-best-shot-at-reviving-his-career.html

Thank You

Faisal Caesar