The statistics were damning: 1,533 runs scored for the loss of just 24 wickets over five days. While batsmen like Mominul Haque, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Mendis, and Roshen Silva feasted on the benign surface to notch up centuries, others such as Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim, and Liton Das fell agonizingly short. Dimuth Karunaratne, ironically, would be the most disappointed of all, failing to even open his account on this batting paradise.
Yet, amidst the accolades for Mominul Haque, who became the first Bangladeshi to score centuries in both innings of a Test, there was a lingering sense of hollowness. His technical flaw—bringing the bat down from the gully region instead of straight—remains unaddressed, a concern that will likely haunt him on more challenging surfaces. Praises for such feats on this dead track seem misplaced, for this was not a Test that celebrated the spirit of cricket but rather exposed its vulnerabilities.
The Death of Contest
The Chittagong pitch was a disaster for Test cricket, a poor advertisement for the format’s relevance. Zahid Reza, the local curator, prepared a wicket that failed to deteriorate over five days, depriving bowlers of any semblance of assistance. The bounce remained low and slow, the turn negligible, and the contest between bat and ball virtually non-existent.
According to the International Cricket Council (ICC), a good Test pitch should strike a balance, offering something for bowlers early on while progressively deteriorating to challenge batsmen as the match wears on. By those standards, the Chittagong surface was a travesty. It favoured batsmen excessively, reduced bowlers to mere spectators and robbed the match of any intrigue or excitement.
ICC Standards and the
"Poor" Rating
The ICC rates pitches based on several criteria, emphasizing the need for a fair contest between bat and ball. Pitches are categorized as "very good," "good," "average," "below average," "poor," or "unfit." A "poor" pitch is one that fails to provide bowlers with sufficient opportunities or skews the game excessively in favour of batsmen. The Chittagong pitch fits this description perfectly.
Consider the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in 2017. The ICC deemed that pitch "poor" after only 24 wickets fell in five days, with just 1,081 runs scored. The lifeless nature of the surface led to widespread criticism, and Cricket Australia faced significant scrutiny. If the historic MCG was not spared, why should Chittagong escape similar censure?
Lessons from History
Bangladesh’s recent successes in Test cricket have come on challenging tracks that offered assistance to bowlers. Memorable victories against England and Australia in 2016 and 2017 were achieved on turning pitches in Mirpur. Tamim Iqbal’s gritty century against England in 2016 on a spinning track remains far more significant than Mominul’s twin centuries on this lifeless deck.
By preparing such dead surfaces, Bangladesh risks stagnating in their development as a Test-playing nation. These tracks may inflate batting averages and pad individual records, but they do little to prepare the team for the rigours of international cricket. Worse, they reflect a fear of losing—a mindset that will only perpetuate the team’s struggles abroad.
Accountability and
Change
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) must take accountability. Just as they sought explanations from Gamini Silva for the Mirpur track during the Tri-series final, they must hold Zahid Reza accountable for this debacle. Test cricket thrives on competitive surfaces that challenge both batsmen and bowlers. Preparing pitches that are devoid of life not only harms the game but also tarnishes Bangladesh’s reputation as a host nation.
The Way Forward
If Bangladesh is serious about improving in Test cricket, they must abandon the practice of preparing such docile tracks. True progress comes from competing on surfaces that test technique, temperament, and strategy. Home advantage should not mean stripping the game of its essence but rather leveraging conditions to foster growth and resilience.
For now, the Chittagong Test will be remembered not for the records it produced but for the opportunities it squandered. It was a match that promised much but delivered little—a stark reminder of what happens when the balance of cricket is sacrificed at the altar of convenience.
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