Before the start of the three-match ODI series against India, Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim made a bold assertion: “And one should not forget that if they lose, India will lose, not India A. The pressure will be on them.” Rahim’s words carried confidence, a desire to assert dominance and put Bangladesh back on a winning path against a world champion side. Yet, as the series unfolded, the result went decisively in favour of the visitors, leaving Bangladesh’s team and its supporters disillusioned. Suresh Raina’s second-string Indian side served a lesson in humility and preparedness, punishing the hosts for underestimating their opposition.
In the high-stakes world of international cricket, actions often speak louder than words, and Bangladesh’s capitulation exposed troubling vulnerabilities. To be routed by a team absent of many of India’s top players not only damaged morale but cast doubt on Bangladesh’s readiness to compete at the highest level after more than a decade in international cricket.
The second ODI encapsulated the malaise. Chasing a modest 106 runs, Bangladesh faltered embarrassingly, failing to reach a target that even a competitive county cricket side might have achieved with minimal fuss. Such a meek surrender raises questions about the team’s strategic approach, professionalism, and its overall development trajectory.
One of the fundamental missteps was the choice of pitch for the second ODI. Bangladesh’s policymakers, aware that Indian players typically struggle on seaming, bouncy surfaces, decided to prepare a track with these characteristics. However, in their quest to unsettle the visitors, they overlooked an equally glaring reality: Bangladesh’s own batsmen are no better suited to handle pace and swing. Given the lack of fast-bowling-friendly pitches in Bangladesh’s domestic circuit, it was perhaps inevitable that Bangladesh’s batting would crumble.
The selection choices also perplexed many. Mominul Haque, a young talent who has shown comfort and competence at No. 4, was curiously promoted to No. 3 in the first match and then omitted entirely in the second ODI. With three fifties in his last eight ODIs, Mominul seemed a more promising option than some of the senior players who have consistently underperformed. Another oversight was the omission of Imrul Kayes, a batsman with a steady temperament who might have bolstered the fragile batting line-up.
Meanwhile, the decision to retain two out-of-form players, Nasir Hossain and Mahmudullah Riyad, is symptomatic of a larger issue. Tamim Iqbal’s inclusion, despite his frequent failures, raises questions about whether merit is being overlooked. In a cricketing ecosystem where players like Iqbal, Hossain, and Riyad are invaluable, the selectors must balance accountability with support. The board must address any technical flaws they identify, helping struggling players return to form rather than risking the loss of rare talents through premature exclusion.
At its core, this disappointing series against India underscores the need for the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to reassess its management philosophy. For years, the board’s approach to damage control has been reactive, resorting to hasty personnel changes without addressing root causes. Such measures grounded more in optics than substance, have fostered instability and, too often, resulted in promising players being lost to short-sighted policies.
So, where does Bangladesh cricket go from here? The path forward must be one of introspection and reform. The BCB must abandon any tendencies toward nepotism or haphazard decision-making, cultivating instead a system that values consistency, transparency, and a long-term vision. Only by addressing these fundamental issues can Bangladesh hope to reclaim its competitive edge and fulfil the promise of a cricketing nation still waiting to make its mark on the world stage.
Thank
You
Faisal
Caesar
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