Spot-fixing: What measures should Bangladesh take?

The cricketing world was shaken when three Indian cricketers were arrested on allegations of spot-fixing in the ongoing IPL. Among the three cricketers was India fast bowler Sreesanth, who by no means was thought to get involved in such a rut. Browsing the cricketing websites give nothing but depression news. It's never a good feeling to watch young and promising cricketers' careers get jeopardized. The disease named 'match-fixing' has never been treated properly.

On May 22, Police sources told CNN IBN: "The involvement of a prominent Bangladeshi player, who never played in the IPL, has now emerged in the IPL spot-fixing scandal." It's pretty easy to throw dirt and dish out stories but until and unless strong evidence is available it's better not to claim such things. Tough times are always sensitive and while digging deep many stories crop up which at times sound very funny - will we discover the involvement of Barack Obama or Osama Bin Laden as well? It's better to dig deep cautiously.

To many Bangladeshis this news was not acceptable and many of us took it as a crude joke. In social media, many fans made fun of this news. But as a matter of fact, one cannot deny that spot-fixing did try to intervene Bangladesh's domestic cash-rich show, the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). In the inaugural BPL, former Bangladeshi cricketer Shariful Haque was banned for an indefinite period after spot-fixing allegations were made against him.

The recommendation for Shariful's banning was made by a committee formed immediately after Mashrafe Mortaza claimed that he had been approached a day before the BPL kicked off. The decision made Shariful the first Bangladeshi cricketer to get banned for spot-fixing. Shariful played a solitary ODI for Bangladesh against India in 1998 and had unofficially retired from the game.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) by now must have monitored the IPL's spot-fixing saga and surely they must take necessary steps in controlling the entry of black souls in our cricket. The most susceptible targets will be those youngsters who come from the rural areas of Bangladesh to play cricket in the big districts. These youngsters are naïve, lack proper education and are never aware of the mysterious world of cricket. It's very easy for them to shake hands with dubious persons and unknowingly get themselves involved in the dark world.

What the BCB should do is take care of them like a father does his children. These naïve young souls need to be educated properly so that they develop cautiousness within themselves. They must be taught about ethics and the morale of this glorious game of cricket; that you play for your team and not money, that money must be earned through hard work and not by means of cheating. It's not only the duty of the BCB but also the duty of the seniors of Bangladesh cricket to make sure that these youngsters get the shelter of the honest souls. The BCB must develop a program where the seniors and top BCB officials will educate these young cricketers on how to travel through the topsy-turvy world of international cricket.

Again, the BCB must ensure the payments of these cricketers who start their career with various domestic teams. Most of these players don't come from well-to-do families and live on the payments paid by BCB. They need money badly. When they discover an irregularity regarding their payments frustrations creep in amongst them and it's at that point of time they start to think of earning through the wrong way.

The BCB should also monitor players' agents as well. How qualified a person an agent is and what sort of a background he has must be sorted out. Many crimes might occur through such agents who invite a catastrophe. Moreover, the umpires, conducting the games in domestic circuit must also be under strict monitoring as well. We all know the fate of Bangladesh's renowned umpire Nadir Shah.

These days, Bangladesh cricketers have become pretty lucrative for the sponsors, businessmen and many political personalities. It will be difficult to interfere in a cricketer's personal life and choices, but it's a fact that these businessmen or politicians are masters in exploiting weaknesses. They are cash thirsty and can cross any limits to earn money. Very few of them know the true spirit of cricket and witness cricket as a money making machine. There should also be a limitation in shaking hands with them.

The Dhaka Premier League will start on July 1. The BCB must start monitoring from this domestic competition. It's a fact that corruption is a massive problem in Bangladesh and there's always a risk of cricket to get affected as well. The most susceptible are our domestic competitions. And to stop the spreading of these diseases named match-fixing and spot-fixing, the BCB should have a sterner approach in limiting their ugly processions.

You can have utmost faith upon the current BCB chief Nazmul Hasan in taking such steps. Even though he's a businessman and politician but he is not like our traditional corrupted souls and is well aware about cricket's spirit and for a second never thinks cricket as a money making machine but respects it highly.

Note: This article has been published in cricketnext.com on 26/05/2013  Spot-fixing: What measures should Bangladesh take?

Thank You

Faisal Caesar

Exhibition of Test cricket's beauty at Lord's

Up until the second hour of the final morning, the England v New Zealand Lord’s Test could have gone either way. For the first three days both sides held the upper hand at different points in a contest that epitomized the best features of the Test match. The vicissitudes of the great game were on full display as each team’s fortunes went up and down like a rollercoaster. Tim Southee’s six-wicket haul gave him 10 for the match and after New Zealand dismissed the hosts for 213 on the fourth morning to start chasing the required 239 for victory; most observers thought it was anybody’s game.

But then Stuart Broad, who the visitors probably thought would have been the least of their troubles, totally obliterated their batting with a Test best 7/44 in an eleven-over spell. Figures of 1/64 was all the lanky pacer could manage in the first innings and so the tourists would have reasonably believed that Graeme Swann - considering the wicked turn part-timer Kane Williamson was able to elicit on the third afternoon - and the canny Jimmy Anderson were to be their biggest obstacles in reaching their target.

The Nottinghamshire pacer had shown the ability to take wickets in clumps before, but he leapt to a whole new level against the hapless Kiwis. By the time Broad had completed six overs he had flattened five wickets and the game was effectively over. The visitors were well into a free-fall at 30/6, with the other wicket falling to the guile and exquisite swing bowling skills of Anderson.

The unfortunate batsman at the receiving end was Dean Brownlie. Utterly defeated by a huge inswinger one ball, the batsman could do no more than edge the following one, which moved slightly away, through to the wicket-keeper. It was the work of a master.

The end came after almost an hour after lunch with the New Zealanders falling in a heap for 68 off 22.3 overs, all delivered by Broad and Anderson. Swann, who would undoubtedly have been a handful, and Steven Finn, who reaped four wickets in the first innings, were never even required.

The first day of this engaging Test never promised much. In fact the pedestrian nature of the English batting would have tested the fealty of even the most devoted Test cricket fans. When the day’s proceedings mercifully ended after 80 overs, the hosts had crawled to 160/4, and viewers at the ground, at least those able to stay awake, must have been thankful that the rains which had been threatening, finally came down hard enough to stop the play.

In the era of scoring rates close to four runs per over, England limped along at less than two for much of the day. Three boundaries were struck in the morning session – two by Alastair Cook and one by Jonathan Trott. By the time tea came, the count stood at ten, and16 at day’s end. It would have been understandable if die-hard Test match fans, viewing the action on TV, chose to switch to the frenzied scoring of the IPL.

Thankfully, Test cricket was back to its best for the rest of the game. Discarded New Zealand captain, Ross Taylor, showed on the second day that fluency could be achieved on a surface that seemed full of traps and land mines while the Englishmen were negotiating it. Quick to cut anything even slightly short, he never hesitated to ease onto his front foot to drive pleasantly through the offside. His 66 came off only 72 deliveries, in stark contrast to 31 made by the normally free flowing Ian Bell off 133 balls the day before.

England’s best batting came from Joe Root, who constructed, along with Jonathan Trott, a partnership of 123 on the third day that threatened to completely wrest the game away from the tourists. Along the way, the 22-year-old Yorkshire man showed why he is so highly regarded by those who closely follow his career.

The kind of ebb and flow that occurred at Lords is the most compelling aspect of the game’s longest form. If T20 offers entertainment that is visceral and provokes unrestrained celebrations, Test cricket’s attraction lies in the many permutations that often develop over the duration of a game; the intellectual rigor that it demands of those who would become its students; and the variety of skills it engenders in its players. Many batsmen can eschew restraint and swing hard enough and often enough to make 40 off 20 deliveries, but only the master practitioner can confront the most perilous conditions and the craftiest bowling to bat for hours and score a match-turning hundred.

It would be grossly unfair to say that T20 cricket does not require much skill. Chris Gayle, Shane Watson, David Warner and Sunil Narine are all highly skilled cricketers. It’s just that this four-hour game usually does not allow players to employ their full repertoire.

The series now moves to Leeds for the second Test beginning on Friday May 24. If the action turns out to be as fascinating as it was in the first test, then it will be well worth the attention of the huge IPL audience.

Courtesy: Garfield Robinson

Mushfiqur Rahim, aren't you watching the Test match at Lord's?

During Joe Root and Jonathan Trott's inspiring partnership, Brendan McCullum was at fix. He had lost his wicket-keepr BJ Watling with an injured knee and spinner Bruce Martin due to a calf injury. But he didn't step back to take sterner actions. He employed Kane Wailliamson and Tim Sountee to hit back right into the match.

Southee was wicketless in the first innings but like a Lion he roared with three wickets in 17 deliveries. He paid back the faith of his skipper. It was nothing but hitting the right length - a touch fuller. Though Kane Williamson's fast, quickish offies were a Kiwis delight but an alarming one as well. Graeme Swann will licking his fingers after watching the ball turn, zip and bounce from the roughened areas.

My point is, about McCullum's captaincy. During the drinks break he along with Williamson threw away stern words which encouraged his men to give their best amid a hopeless situation. That's how a captain should be - bold, innovative and unfazed by adversity. A captain's mind must work more actively when the situation is demanding. I remember Shakib's strong leading capacity when he used lose his main strike bowler Mashrafe Mortaza in the middle of a match due to injuries.

Mushfiq, do listen to this. By the way, are you following this Test match or still crying like a baby? Are the Tigers following the Lord's Test match?

Thank You
Faisal Caesar

Can we free cricket from the cash thirsty souls?

 It had been a moderately hectic day in the hospital. In the ETT room, you don’t get enough rush like the CCU (Coronary Care Unit), Cardiac emergency, or OPD (Out Patient Department). What I actually do after returning home, other than studying for postgraduate medical exams,  is watching cricket matches, reading a piece on cricket, or visiting famous cricket websites. They lessen the day's stress wonderfully.  But the more I am visiting the cricket websites, the more I am getting upset. Nothing exciting or productive can be found but only a bunch of frustration!

The dark clouds of spot-fixing have overshadowed cricket again.

After a year of hibernation, spot-fixing has roared once again in the cricketing arena. Three Indian cricketers – Sreesanth, Ankeet Chavan, and Ajit Chandila have been arrested on allegations of spot-fixing during a match in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL). It’s never a pleasant matter for a cricket lover to watch the careers of young and promising cricketers get jeopardized. I was extremely hurt when I saw Muhammad Amir’s career to drown in the Thames River, the same as I am heavily disgusted and upset to watch a talent like Sreesanth to become a disgrace.

IPL already offers plenty of cash for the cricketers. They why a cricketer will get involved in match-fixing remains a moot question. These cricketers are the tip of an iceberg. The real criminals, perhaps, are always controlling the game from behind the scene with enough shrewdness.

International cricket is no more a mere game anymore nowadays. It has become a money-making machine – a fertile land for the ugly businessmen to harvest dollars. It’s a good thing that cricket has become a way of living for many cricketers. The introduction of T20 Leagues has certainly added enough financial gains for the cricketers. Even if a cricketer can’t gain access to the national squads, he can also earn his livelihood by playing in these Leagues.

Sounds pretty encouraging, isn’t it?

But too much of anything is never good. The cash invested in these Leagues is mind-blowing and when too much cash flow, the evil Gods enter to take control of our honest minds. Due to the outpouring of an enormous amount of money these Leagues have become the favorite grounds for the evil souls – the bookies to play their evil games. By reading the newspapers we come to know that spot-fixing is very easy to exploit in these T20 Leagues and cricketers are easily being victimized. In any novel initiative, evils will always follow. But if the human-being wants, the evils can be defeated through honesty.

But as a matter of fact, I think, the leaders of the novel initiatives never want to keep the prophets of doom and gloom away. The leaders are acting as the driver of a crazy money train.
Match-fixing is not a problem of today but a problem for more than a decade. It’s now clear that the higher officials of the respective Boards or ICC have never taken sterner steps to eradicate this problem. Otherwise, this problem should have recurred and due to the inappropriate management of such a critical issue, the cricketing environment has always remained polluted – fresh air has never been able to enter in modern-day cricket!

Not all are a Sachin Tendulkar or Rahul Dravid like mature or sensible, but there exist many naïve and immature souls who easily fall a prey to evil traps. A Board’s focus should not only be taking care of its star players but also those young lads who are highly sensitive and lack the immunity against the disease named match-fixing and spot-fixing.  The Boards should always be more careful towards these sensitive youngsters and should educate them on how to deal with this mysterious world of international cricket.

But have the Boards taken care of their young players properly?

Either a Sreesanth or Amir is never born as a criminal. They are certainly the victims of a system that offers no honest shelters but are surrounded by smart criminals who rub the young shoulders with a smile, offer friendship, and then start exploiting in the evilest manner. How do these smart criminals get such an upper-hand? How dare they get the scope to tarnish cricket’s image again and again? Should I say that they are always given an opportunity to satisfy the unknown big bosses? Should I say that they are the agents of those big fishes who only care about the cash and not the true spirit of cricket?

Yes? No?

We don’t know the answer. We can only guess. But without guesses how can you find an answer?

We will just see Sreesanth and the other two defaulters getting punished. We will hate them like we showed our anger and hate for the Pakistani trio. The bosses will earn praise and applauds but one day; astonishingly, another Sreesanth or Amir will be found guilty.

Why?

Because the big bosses of smart criminals will still remain active as they will never get caught. As usual, our faith in cricket will get dented.

Can we free cricket from the hands of the cash thirsty souls?

Perhaps many problems will get solved then!

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer on 18/05/2013 Can we free cricket from the cash thirsty souls? 

Thank You
Faisal Caesar  

Mushfiqur Rahim's mind-boggling emotional exhibition

So, after a gloomy tour to Zimbabwe the Tigers have returned home. To many Bangladesh critics it was suppose to be a sweet journey for the national cricket team. But in turn, it didn't go according to those expectations. Like the previous tours, it was a sore one. After losing the ODI series while the team was shell shocked, their captain Mushfiqur Rahim, in the post match conference, announced his resignation from the national squad.

The fans at home and the Bangladeshi journalists present there were taken aback and could not find a clue to Mushfiqur's hasty resignation. The next day, emotional followers alongside the country's cricket pundits demanded that Mushfiqur take back his decision. Some praised Mushfiqur's decision and wished that our politicians did the same. To speak the truth, politics and cricket aren't the same - a fact our pundits always fail to understand.

As usual, people started to smell a rift within the team and their easy target had been some of our star performers. Like a traditional mean minded creature they cropped up stories which were hard to digest.

The BCB chief immediately consulted with Mushfiqur regarding the matter. In a choking voice, Mushfiqur told him about his incapability to lead his men as there had been a lack in teamwork. Nazmul Hassan was critical and vowed to dig deeper on the issue. Mushfiqur's statement added more fuel to the controversy seekers and stories begun to flourish on the basis of just guesses.

But Mushfiqur changed his decision after the final Twenty20 against Zimbabwe which the Tigers won comprehensively to level the series. In the twinkle of an eye, Mushfiqur changed his stance from stepping back as captain and decided to rethink his decision which again left everyone clueless.

"After resigning I have realized that I should have discussed the matter with the BCB, who have made me the captain. It was my mistake. People from the BCB have told me that we will hold discussions when I am back. I have let them know my decision, now it's for them to decide," he told journalists.

"It is not about teamwork. I have taken the decision emotionally. It was a wrong decision on my part. No player should back out in such a time. I should have been encouraging everyone, but I ended up doing just the opposite. I have now realized my mistake. Losing to them didn't go down well with me. My team-mates have backed me, and I hope this is how it remains in the future."

Is representing your country at the highest level a joke? Is there any place for those actions which tarnish your country's image? Should a player only lead his men when the path is rosy and leave when it's tough? Mushfiqur is now saying that it was not a matter of teamwork then why did he give such statement to the BCB chief. His one emotional remark had suddenly put a question mark on the dedication of some of the players who nevertheless give their 100%.

A captain is the lighthouse of his team. When the chips are down the whole team looks after their captain to lift their dying spirit. A captain must encourage his men rather than stepping back. Defeats are a part of sport and they are the best teachers. Rather than getting emotionally crippled and frustrated it's better to get motivated with new vigor for the future so that the same mistakes don't repeat themselves.

What will Mushfiqur do if his team suffers a whitewash against New Zealand? Will he repeat this same mind-boggling emotional exhibition again? A captain roars amid adversity. He doesn't mew like a cat.

Mushfiqur was like a boy in a toy shop where the boy cries loudly when his father denies him a toy. The boy stops eating food and when his father buys him that toy, he starts eating again! Surely, leading a team is not the job of a school kid but requires a man with astute maturity. After such an act Mushfiqur's maturity and ability in handling the pressure is under a question mark.

Bangladesh cricket time and again has been a laughing stock to the world for various reasons. Either pathetic and suicidal performances or lack stability in the board had tarnished our image many times in the past. For the last couple of years, the Tigers were earning enough respect through solid performances but Mushfiqur's childish attitude has again dented our image. You don't expect that from a leader.

Perhaps Mushfiqur will lead the team in the future as he's the obvious choice at present. But should Nazmul Hassan not take any actions regarding Mushfiqur's whimsical attitude?

No doubt, Mushfiqur has led Bangladesh extremely well for the last year. Though not a shrewd captain, his ability to maintain the team's unity deserves praise. For the last year, Bangladesh cricket has tasted a great amount of successes under him and for which the expectations have raised.

Is Mushfiqur strong enough to handle the pressure of expectations? His recent paints a shoddy picture. A cricket team must be led by a man and not a kid. The BCB must think of a man and not a kid.

Note: This article has been published on Cricketnext.com on 17/05/2013:  Mushfiqur Rahim's mind-boggling emotional exhibition

Bangladesh paid the price for complacency in Zimbabwe ODIs

Since 2011, in bilateral series, Bangladesh have been superb in bilateral series. They won a five-match ODI series against a strong West Indies side and drew 1-1 against a competent Sri Lankan unit in their own den. On a serious note, in the 50-over format, the critics had started to regard Bangladesh as a fiercely competitive side capable of beating superior teams. But the problem with the Tigers is, whenever they start to gain a fine rhythm, surprisingly, they tend to disturb it.

A fine run in bilateral series came to end in the third and final ODI against Zimbabwe on Wednesday when the hosts comprehensively beat Bangladesh by seven wickets. It seems quite unusual to lose a series against a side that is not as well equipped and experienced as Bangladesh. But experience and star performers don't bear enough importance if proper application is not exhibited. Bangladesh were beaten by a side who were more determined and responsible.

The Tigers started the ODI series with a commanding 121-run win but it was not flawless by any means. The top order's rashness and irresponsible shot selection had jolted Bangladesh's brilliant start as from 65 for 0 they succumbed to 94 for 4. But as usual a late surge from Nasir Hossain and Mahmudullah helped them post a fighting total, and then Ziaur Rahman's bowling proved too much for Zimbabwe who lost their way.

Crucially, Zimbabwe went ahead and worked on their gray areas while Bangladesh remained complacent as ever. The top and middle order apparently didn't put enough work into rectifying their mistakes. In fact, in the remaining two ODIs which were played on beautiful batting tracks, they went from bad to worse.

Rather than being composed, they kept on sacrificing their wickets as cheaply as toilet napkins. And again, the lower order's fruitful and staggering contributions brought them back into the game. But on a batting-friendly track, any score less than 300 is never safe. Had the top and middle order contributed alongside the lower blitz, then surely on both occasions the scores would have been above 300.

While the Bangladeshi top order was found rusty, the Zimbabwean top and middle order was much more responsible and composed. They never repeated the mistakes made in the first ODI and adapted themselves superbly well according to the circumstances. This time around the batting hero was not the reliable Brendan Taylor but Vusi Sibanda, Malcolm Waller, Sean Williams and the wily Hamilton Masakadza. They chased down Bangladesh's total with grit and stamina leaving the bowlers clueless.

A team which hardly gets a chance to play at the highest level, a team which is marred by financial crisis and a team boasting only two or three quality players toppled a unit brimming with talent and one that gets a lot more opportunities than Zimbabwe and has a financially strong and a stable board.

What is the secret behind this success? It's nothing but the right mental attitude which is a very important ingredient for success. It's the ultimate tool to strike gold. Many competent teams have digested defeats at the hands of weaker oppositions as that weaker unit exhibited the right mental attitude.

Bangladesh can only blame themselves because they were complacent and never worked on their weaker areas. The head coach Shane Jurgensen has to find out an antidote to this malaise that brings their downfall time and again.

Note: This article has been published on cricketnext.com on 10/05/2013: Bangladesh paid the price for complacency in Zimbabwe ODIs 

Thank You

Faisal Caesar

Nothing is more satisfying than saving a life

Three weeks back while doing duty in the Cabin Block of BSMMU, a young lady called me to attend her patient – a 60 years old woman - in a commanding manner. According to her, the patient developed a carpo pedal spasm. I went to the cabin and the young lady who was the wife of the patient’s son, started guiding me as if she was a Professor! The old lady was admitted under medicine unit with the complaints of Acute Gastroenteritis which was not severe. Her biochemical reports revealed of an electrolyte imbalance with hypokalemia and hypocalcaemia which were not severe.

I discovered that the old lady had severe breathlessness. There were movements of hands similar to carpo pedal sapasms but they weren’t those in actual terms. In fact the old lady was fighting for breathe. 

I asked the young lady, who was in a Resident course in Paediatrics, whether her patient had any history of Ischaemic heart disease. She could not say anything. She never was able to give any significant history regarding her mother-in-law. The old lady’s own daughter was also a doctor and she too was ignorant about her mother!

I got offended. The old lady had developed a Pulmonary Oedema and as there was no significant history of fluid overload then definitely there should have been structural disorders of heart. Though, later on while searching her old papers I discovered that she had single coronary artery disease with an unstable blood pressure. But why the two doctors could not say this?

Immediately, I took necessary measures. I shifted the patient to CCU, consulted with my seniors and colleagues and proceeded accordingly. The oxygen saturation was 30% and a chance of her survival was bleak. Intubations, NG tube, intravenous Nitrates, Frusemide, Noradrenaline, Dopamine and Dobutamine etc were given.

While doing so, I was very rude with the two doctors. Even my Unit chief told me to be sober with ladies. But when in work I don’t wish to care anyone. Survival of the patient is my only motto. The old lady’s son’s wife, since then, remained quite as long as I was around. Listen lady, being in a course doesn’t make anyone a superior-thing. You have a long way to go.

Three weeks later, today, the old lady has been discharged with a smiling face. I was on leave today. Around 10:30 am I got a phone call from her daughter who thanked me for all the efforts I had taken while on duty. She told that her mother was searching for me with sweets! The old lady reminded me of my maternal grandmother.

Throughout the day I have been very pleased with myself. Nothing is more satisfying than saving a life especially, if the patient is an elderly one. As a doctor I am pleased. What do you need more? The blessings of the old lady is as precious as gold.

Thank You

Faisal Caesar

 

Mushfiqur Rahim - Act like a man and not a kid

As soon as Vusi Sibanda hit the winning runs to complete his hundred and register a series win for his country, it also ended Bangladesh’s amazing run in bilateral ODI series. Since 2011, the Tigers haven’t lost a bilateral ODI series and against sides, far better than them, they have managed to show enough character to topple them in grand style. As a matter of fact, Zimbabwe has played batter cricket than Bangladesh. Their sense of responsibility was better and the keen to learn from mistakes have been praiseworthy. Zimbabwe deserved to be the winners.

The die hard Bangladeshi cricket fans were not expecting such a defeat. On paper, Bangladesh were a better outfit than the hosts. But if a team lacks proper application and remain complacent without working on their mistakes then surely they have to pay a heavy price. Bangladesh paid a heavy price for being too complacent. This defeat has left the fans bruised – not a great gift for a nation devoured by depression.

But Mushfiqur Rahim’s surprisingly shocking decision to step down from the national team’s captaincy post has utterly shocked the whole nation! Before the post-match press conference was ending, Mushfiq lifted his hand to ask the journalists to stay a bit longer. In an emotional voice Mushfiq said, “I just have one thing to add before we finish. I will be stepping down as captain after the last two [Twenty20] matches. I believe that I couldn't lead my team, and I didn't score enough runs. That is why I think we lost the ODI series.”

It seems that Mushfiq had been severely moved by the defeat. Whatever decision Mushfiq took seemed to have stemmed out from emotions. But should a captain be that much emotional? Should a captain step back in critical situations? Should a captain bear a chicken heart? 

Since Mushfiq has taken over the captaincy, he has been brilliant. His captaincy was never without chinks but what made him successful had been his ability to gel the team together. Mushfiq ensured a healthy unity within the team where egos run high. Bangladesh enjoyed a fair amount of successes under his tenure and on and off the field Mushfiq earned enough respect as a leader.

Then, why suddenly this kid like act?

Personally, I found Mushfiq’s decision a stupid one. There are many sympathetic posts in blogs and social media regarding Mushfiq’s decision. But I have no sympathy for Mushfiq as his decision simply offended me. He simply gave the world the impression that the Bangladesh cricket team is being lead by a kid. Such emotional exhibitions are for gully cricket and not international circuit. 

To achieve success one has to accept defeat. Defeats are a part of every game. You learn from defeats and move on by correcting your mistakes

Did Daniel Vettori step down from his captaincy when his side was thrashed 4-0 against Bangladesh in 2010? Or, did MS Dhoni step down after digesting heavy defeats at home and abroad? Certainly, none of them turned emotional or acted like a crying baby but instead, they traveled through the troubled waters with enough patience and guts – Daniel Vettori led his team to the semifinals in World Cup 2011 while MS Dhoni’s men came back strong to mesmerize the touring Australians with a 4-0 defeat. There are many more examples of such dynamic leaders in the history of cricket.

At least try to learn something from your opposing captain Brendan Taylor who came back strong against you despite strings of humiliation. In the topsy-turvy world of international cricket a captain must be a hard nut to crack. He must be the last action hero and not bog down easily. In tough times a captain must be the lighthouse for his team and guide his men well amid extreme darkness. A captain must act like a man and not a kid.

Thank You
Faisal Caesar

Robiul Islam - The Bangladeshi steam engine

I first witnessed Robiul Islam at Lord’s three years back. Bangladesh were playing against the mighty Englishmen in a Test match. He failed to catch anyone’s attention. His actions had chinks while his bowling was pretty mediocre. A year later, in the one-off Test match against Zimbabwe in Harare, Robiul did show a sign of improvement but still wasn’t that impressive enough to cement his place in the national squad on a regular basis.

Time moved on. Controversies visited Bangladesh cricket and as well as relishing successes hugged the Tigers. There weren’t any dull moments in Bangladesh cricket while Robiul was working hard silently in the domestic arena. Robiul witnessed all the actions without wearing the national cap.  Robiul returned again in the national team against Sri Lanka at Colombo in the second Test match. The flirtation with the front foot while bowling dented Robiul’s aspirations to carry on the legacy of Mashrafe Mortaza. But he did impress with his length, pace and movements. Robiul came back home as a modest man and worked even harder to iron out his grey areas.

 Robiul never shied away from dreaming but chased his dreams to sign his name like a boss in the national squad where the left-arm spinners are rated the main force.

Robiul’s dawn was just breaking. Against Zimbabwe, we were happily astonished to discover a different Robiul Islam. This Robiul bowled like a man possessed. Robiul ran and bowled in as if a freedom fighter of 1971 was steaming in full throttle to demolish the enemy camp with a rare disdain. The action was much smoother and each delivery was as venomous as the bite of a rattlesnake. Robiul’s length had been accurate, his away swingers amalgamated with lively pace were sizzling, his inswingers, lethal yorkers and vicious nip-backers simply put chills down the Zimbabwean batting lineup. A pace bowler and not a spinner led the attack in Zimbabwe.  

From the word go, in the recently concluded Test series against Zimbabwe, Robiul bowled with aggression, an ingredient which is hardly noticed amongst the recent crops of Bangladeshi pace bowlers. Without any meaningless grumble, Robiul delivered for his team. He had been an absolute workhorse in the Test series – bowled long spells without any fatigue. He did the donkey work and as well as the demolition work to signal the rise of pace-bowling power in Bangladesh.

The spin oriented Bangladeshi attack has now a lethal pace bowler to provide enough oil in the bowling machine to hunt for wickets. It’s expected that the Bangladeshi bowling attack won’t be one dimensional anymore but it will dynamic.

Robiul is from Sathkhira, a small coastal town in the South West region of Bangladesh. He was infected by cricket virus in a very early age and worked through the league system in the region. He was picked up by the Khulna divisional side in the National Cricket League and his start was dazzling – a 5-wicket haul just in his second match and finished the 2005-06 season with 13 wickets. The following two seasons were dull but he returned with a bang in the next season with a haul of 71 wickets. Robiul was then picked for the national side. But a dull debut didn’t dent his confidence and he put sterner efforts to command his place in the team.

Pace bowling is Bangladesh’s major worry. Other than the larger-than-life Mashrafe Mortaza, there have not been any encouraging pacers to boost the Bangladeshi attack. There have been many promising customers but they faded away in the course of time. Amid this hopeless situation, Robiul is giving Bangladesh hope. His impressive exhibitions against Zimbabwe indicates that he has the huger and fire in his belly to become the perfect torch bearer of fast-bowling in Bangladesh. But still, Robiul has to go a long way in this topsy-turvy world of international cricket. Small battles have to be won with patience and grit; big battles have to be conquered like a Lion. Is he the man Bangladesh is looking for? Is he the Bangladeshi stem engine? I think he’s the Bangladeshi steam engine; he’s the hope of Bangladesh’s fast-bowling!

Thank You

Faisal Caesar