The crossroads of Cricket and Politics in Bangladesh

In the rich tapestry of Bangladesh cricket, few names resonate as profoundly as Mashrafe Bin Mortaza and Shakib Al Hasan. Both have achieved legendary status on the field, becoming symbols of hope and resilience for millions of fans. However, their involvement in politics has sparked intense debate and raised concerns about the ramifications for the sport and society at large. While their intentions may be rooted in a desire to contribute to their country or personal gains, the negative impact of their political affiliations cannot be overlooked.

The Enmeshment of Sport and Politics

In many countries, the worlds of sport and politics often intertwine, and Bangladesh is no exception. The country's political landscape has long been characterized by turmoil, polarization, and a power struggle. When prominent figures from the cricketing fraternity, such as Mashrafe and Shakib, enter this arena – with Mashrafe already competing for the General Election and Shakin on the line for the next one five years later, it brings about significant changes—not just in the realm of governance but also in the perception of cricket as a sport.

Mashrafe, who transitioned from an illustrious cricketing career to a political one, was elected as a Member of Parliament in 2018. His presence in politics was initially welcomed by fans who saw it as an opportunity for positive change, given his popularity and leadership skills. However, as time has passed, the murky waters of political loyalty and partisanship have begun to overshadow his contributions to the sport. Instead of remaining a unifying figure, his political affiliation has risked alienating segments of the cricketing community, dividing fans along partisan lines.

Shakib, on the other hand, has taken a more nuanced approach - while he has not officially entered politics, his public endorsements of political figures and parties have placed him in the spotlight. His involvement raises questions about the role of athletes as political influencers and the potential consequences of their actions. The fine line between advocacy and endorsement can blur, leading to a situation where fans see their idols not just as sports heroes but as political pawns.

Erosion of Focus on the Sport

The foray of these cricketers into politics has had a tangible impact on the sport itself. When athletes become embroiled in political affairs, the focus shifts from their performance on the field to their political stances. This diversion can distract players from their training and preparation, potentially affecting team dynamics and performance.

Moreover, the cricketing fraternity can become polarized as fans align themselves with or against the political views of their favourite players. The sport, which once served as a unifying force, risks becoming a battleground for political ideologies. The intense scrutiny of their political activities may lead to increased pressure on these athletes, detracting from their primary role as ambassadors of the game.

The Risk of Losing Neutrality

Cricket has often been heralded as a unifying force in Bangladesh, transcending social, economic, and political divides. The involvement of high-profile cricketers in politics threatens this neutrality, shifting the narrative from sporting achievements to political allegiances. When players like Mashrafe and Shakib become representatives of specific political parties or ideologies, they inadvertently alienate fans who may hold opposing views.

This shift can also discourage young talents from pursuing cricket if they perceive the sport as becoming enmeshed in the political chaos that has often plagued Bangladesh. The essence of cricket—fostering camaraderie, sportsmanship, and unity—risks being overshadowed by divisive political narratives.

A Call for Reflection

As Mashrafe Bin Mortaza and Shakib Al Hasan continue their journeys, both them and their fans must reflect on the implications of their political involvement. While their contributions to society are commendable, the intersection of cricket and politics should be approached with caution.

The future of Bangladesh cricket hinges on maintaining its status as a unifying force. While athletes have the power to effect change, they must also recognize their responsibility as role models. Striking a balance between advocacy for social issues and remaining committed to the purity of sport is crucial.

In conclusion, while Mashrafe and Shakib’s intentions may stem from a genuine desire to contribute to their nation, their involvement in politics poses significant risks to the sanctity of Bangladesh cricket. The journey ahead requires thoughtful deliberation, emphasizing the need for these sporting icons to tread carefully as they navigate the complex interplay of sport and politics. By doing so, they can ensure that their legacy in cricket remains untarnished and continues to inspire future generations.

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

Nayeem Hasan: The 17-year old with a big heart

Nayeem Hasan is another wonderful addition to Bangladesh and world cricket

Do you expect a Bangladeshi 17-year old to be mature enough to go out there and face the fury of Caribbean pace bowlers? Do you really think that a 17-year old tail-ender can deal with the pace and aggression of Shannon Gabriel and Kemar Roach? If you think, the young generation of Bangladeshi boys is softer, perhaps, you are living in the world of fools. The boys of this generation are the species with a big heart – a heart filled with passion and the courage to conquer the impossible! Facing a Gabriel or Roach won’t be tough for them.

The big boys like Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mominul Haque were already back in the hut and now, a lanky 17-year old boy named Nayeem Hasan walked at the crease to bat in his first ever Test. Mind you, the face of the boy showed no signs of acute anxiety and fear, but his body language hinted, it as just another match in a para or moholla.  

Nayeem was confident and it was evident when he dared to play shots against West Indian pacers. Moreover, technically, Nayeem proved to be more efficient than the experienced campaigners in the team – solid on the back foot and an astute defence earned him accolades on Day 1. His resilience helped the Tigers to get out of the mess and get past 300 runs.

The first impression is always the best impression and many in Bangladesh believe this, still today. If any one impresses a Bangladeshi at first sight, they think, the person would deliver the goods in future. On Day 1, the impression about Nayeem was such and interestingly, he struck gold on Day 2 at Chattogram.

On Day 2, Nayeem essayed a world record by becoming the youngest cricketer in the history of Tests to take five wickets on debut. His bowling figure reads: 14-2-61-5. Nayeem broke the record of Australia’s Pat Cummins who took five wickets on debut against South Africa in 2011 at the age of 18 years and 193 days.

Also read: The fury of Shannon Gabriel and importance of footwork

Obviously, from a Bangladeshi point of view, the thought of first impression is the best impression cut an impressive figure at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium. We, the Bangladeshis, thought, Nayeem would deliver more according to our expectations on Day 2 and he not only did it but straightway, entered in the record books.

For a spinner to bag wickets, needs to have a big heart. He needs to have the heart of a Lion. Otherwise, he might have to repent for his temperament. He needs to shun the mentally of bowling flatter despite getting hit. He does not need to care about getting hit, but continue to give enough air and flight to his deliveries.

Shimron Hetmyer was batting as a man possessed and so was Shane Dowrich. The runs were flowing thick and fast and the young Nayeem was taken to the cleaners. The boy had just plucked two wickets in his debut and was pumped up to devour more. But Hetmyer would not care who the hell Nayeem, Shakib or Taijul was! He was out there to create a havoc and smashed each an every Bangladesh spinners, which came in his way. Dancing feet, high back-lift, risk-but-murderous strokes – Hetmyer was unstoppable.    

Nayeem was hit for boundaries and sixes, but still, he was never afraid to toss the ball up and vary his flight. He persisted his attacking line, which was not wider-outside-off, but outside the offstump and top of off. He pulled the length back as he was not swayed by the emotion to bowl fast and full, which many young spinners do and get hit, and thus, delivered a tad slower and tried to impart sharp-turn by using the spin-finger more.

His line-and-length enticed the batters to drive and invite trouble. His big heart and an attacking mindset helped him to reap a rich harvest.  Certainly, the 17-year old is an exciting package – different in attitude and technically astute.

A wonder kid, who is blessed with a head on his shoulders and knows very well of what he is doing at a very young age. Expecting much better things from him in the upcoming days.     

Note: This article has been published at Cricketsoccer on 23/11/2018 Nayeem Hasan: The 17-year old with a big heart

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

     

The fury of Shannon Gabriel and importance of footwork

Shannon Gabriel was furious, but the technique of Bangladesh’s experienced campaigners was not good……

 

 The fury of Big Shannon Gabriel is nothing new to Bangladesh. A few months back, at Antigua, on Day 3, Gabriel packed-off Bangladesh cheaply to finish things off within three days. Jason Holder overshadowed Gabriel and Kemar Roach in the second outing at Jamaica, but Gabriel was the name of terror for the Bangladeshi batsmen. Bangladesh were expecting the same at Chottogram and after tea, the big boy was breathing fire like an angry dragon.

Mominul Haque was at his pristine best in a venue where he announced his arrival with a counterattacking 181 against New Zealand five years ago. Beautiful drives and well-timed punches of the little man left the spectators spell-bound until he decided to poke at a delivery, which was moving away from him at pace, without using his feet. Shane Dowrich caught the ball safely and the visitors breathed a sigh of relief to see the end of Mominul.      

Two balls later, the little Mushfiqur Rahim decided to move forward at a Gabriel delivery, which was coming in and ended up being trapped lbw. Wrong use of footwork was evident and it was repeated by Mahmudullah Riyad in Gabriel’s next over.

Another fast delivery beat the dust, posed a threat to rip through Riyad’s defence and ultimately it did breach his defence as, like Mushfiq, his initial movement was on the front foot rather than back. Then the skipper, Shakib Al Hasan, committed the same mistake by attempting to punch one off the front foot and left a gap between bat and pad – the ball, delivered from an angle round the wicket, zipped in to kiss the edge first and then disturb the woodwork.  

All of a sudden, the nightmare at Antigua started to show its ugly face at Chottogram.

216 for 3 became 235 for 7 and it seemed all the hard works would be wasted.

But the young guns of Bangladesh were in no intention to bat with paralyzed-feet. While the experienced and senior batters of Bangladesh were quite paraplegic against the pace and fury of Gabriel, the likes of Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam and the young debutante Nayeem Hasan were blessed with a better motor function of the lower limb.

In the 67th over of the day, Gabriel dished out a ferocious short-ball, which would have left the best batsmen at bay, Miraz went on the back foot quickly, shifted his balance a bit on the offstump and executed a hook shot – if any shot could describe boldness in today’s cricket, then it was that hook shot. You just don’t witness hook shots these days – or, many are not brave enough to play it. But Miraz showed, he is a cricketer of a different category -  always eager to improve technically and temperamentally.

The tail-enders like Taijul and Naim would also exhibit the initial trigger movement on the back foot rather than front, which allowed them to go behind the line of the delivery earlier. Their defence was solid and at times, executed some brilliant strokes, which ultimately dragged Bangladesh out of the mess. The young boy Nayeem deserves a lot of accolades for displaying the tough temperament in his very first Test. He was unfazed the deceptive pace of West Indian fast bowlers and his batting technique and foot movement against pace is better than an Imrul Kayes or a Mahmudullah Riyad. The boy has hit the jackpot at first hand.

Anyhow, the matter is all about footwork. Your footwork will help you to survive against pace bowlers. Neither a paraplegic foot nor the initial movement of the front foot would help a batsman to counter pace bowling, but the ability to get on the back foot would. The initial trigger movement of the back foot not only helps to get behind the line of the ball, but it aids to get on top of the bounce as well.

The majority of the deliveries of Shannon Gabriel were either from the back-of-a-length or good-length, which zipped off the surface and nipped back in against right-handers and moved away from the lefties. Had Mominul, Mushfiq or Riyad was using their feet with authority, Gabriel might not have unleashed fear in that eventful post-tea session.    

Kudos to the courage and technique of Bangladesh tail, they were able to post a fighting total on Day 1 with two wickets in hand, still.  

Note: This article has been published at Cricketsoccer on 22/11/2018 The fury of Shannon Gabriel and importance of footwork

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

A morale victory for Zimbabwe

A heavy defeat for Zimbabwe at Mirpur, but they would leave Bangladesh with great satisfaction….

 Kyle Jarvis wanted to clear the distance against a tossed-up delivery from Mihedy Hasan Miraz, but the ball landed safely in the hands of Khaled Ahmed. The Bangladesh dressing room and fans breathed a sigh of relief as the hosts levelled the series. Miraz fetched five wickets, while the hero of first innings for Zimbabwe, Brendan Taylor, left the field amid applauds from the spectators present at Mirpur. Taylor’s twin hundreds at Mirpur and the fighting spirit of team Zimbabwe are indicating of a new sunshine.  

A bit more resolve might have helped Zimbabwe to see-off the fifth day at Mirpur. But one needs to keep in mind, Zimbabwe don't play enough Test matches like their counterpart, and to achieve that resolve to exhibit in five-day matches, a team needs to play Test cricket regularly. Sadly, Zimbabwe don't play enough of Test matches. 

Zimbabwe had not been the bashing-boys like the limited-overs encounter, but in turn, they dished out a brand new, never-say-die spirit, for which, the hosts were not prepared for.  Neither the fans nor the experts expected such a display from the visitors.

In my opinion, this 2-match Test series is a morale victory for Zimbabwe.

They have tested the hosts, who were much more superior to them and despite the absence of Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan, Bangladesh boasted with players to beat  Zimbabwe – it was evident in the limited-overs contest. As soon as the Test series started off in Sylhet, Zimbabwe turned the tables upside down. The skill and temperament of Sean Williams, Peter Moor, Brendan Taylor, Tendai Chatara, Mavuta and Kyle Jarvis outshone the experience of Bangladesh cricketers. Astonishingly and rather deservingly, Zimbabwe took a 1-0 lead.  

Also read: Taylor and Moore’s fightback should inspire Zimbabwe      

The second Test went to the fifth day and it might not have been possible if Brendan Taylor and Peter Moore did not fightback in style to dent the Bangladesh attack. They batted throughout the third day and conveyed the message to all, they are here to fight and not surrender easily.

Zimbabwe proved to be a hard nut to crack since the first ball was bowled in the inaugural Test match at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium. At Sylhet, they batted with enough grit, while bowled with enough intent to knock the Tigers out of the park – it was a victory of spirit over adversity. They brought the spirit back in Mirpur and despite the scoreboard pressure and one-man down, the African Nation denied to bog down against the guile of Taijul Islam and Mehidy Hasan Miraz.

Since 2003, nothing has gone right for Zimbabwe. Political turmoil and at the same time, financial crises, left Zimbabwe cricket at bay. The once feared giant killers of world cricket hit the rock bottom in the course of time. But somehow, the passion to play cricket remained alive and despite all those setbacks since the last fifteen years, Zimbabwe tried harder to rediscover themselves in this topsy-turvy world of international cricket.

All those setbacks, sacrifices and hard work were evident in the Test series against Bangladesh. Team Zimbabwe deserves more opportunities to play Test matches and only then, they would be able to establish themselves as a force to be reckoned.

The top cricketing nations need to step forward for the betterment of a cricket nation, who, once upon a time, enriched world cricket with their entertaining exhibitions and have gifted cricket the likes of Andy Flower, Grant Flower, Heath Streak, Alastair Campbell and Raymond Price.     

Test cricket can’t just be competitive with just one India, Australia, England or South Africa; but to be competitive and exciting enough like the 90s, the betterment of teams like Zimbabwe is highly important. They are improving and the big fishes need to lend a helping hand for their further progression. 

Note: This article has been published at Cricketsoccer on 15/11/2018 A morale victory for Zimbabwe

Thank You
Faisal Caesar 

Taylor and Moore’s fightback should inspire Zimbabwe

Brendan Taylor and Peter Moor dished out an inspiring fightback, which should motivate Zimbabwe……

“It’s not over. It’s certainly not. But it’s going to be a monumental challenge for us to even draw this game. We’ve batted 105 overs. If we bat four sessions, that’s 120 overs on day five. Realistically, it will be a miracle for us to draw this game, but we have to have the belief that we have the batters and mental strength to do that”

Brendan Taylor

Neither Zimbabwe have a Sir Vivian Richards nor a Gordon Greenidge in their batting line-up, who would go out ther to challenge the humungous score of Bangladesh in the first innings by smashing daddy hundreds. But one thing for sure,  this Zimbabwe team is blessed with some fighting characters, who just don’t bog down under pressure. The boys know their limitations and don’t try to do anything beyond that, but unleash their tenacity, whenever it is required. It was evident in Sylhet and once again, it earned the accolades at Mirpur.

The ball was still hard and new. Mahmudullah wanted to exploit the early morning moisture and engaged Mustafizur Rahman and Khaled Ahmed from both ends. Khaled was aggressive and banged the ball shorter to hit Chari’s helmet for the second time, while Fizz bowled on top of off and moved the cherry away from the batters  – more on a good length and tad fuller at times, which squared the batters. The first one hour was testing, but no wickets fell.

In Test matches, leaving the ball bears a lot of weight and for the Test teams who lack the world’s best batsmen in their batting line-up, it becomes more important for them, especially when they are batting in reply to opposition’s 500-plus score.  Zimbabwe’s Brian Chari and nightwatchman, Donald Tiripano were not feeling comfortable against Kahled and Fizz in the morning session, what they did was, leaving the ball as much as possible – occupying the crease was the order of the day and it was their way of displaying their fighting nature.

It took Bangladesh 50 minutes to force a breakthrough. Who else but Taijul Islam dismissed Tiripano and it brought Brendan Taylor at the crease.

The scoring rate increased.

Chari decided to attack and smashed two sixes off Taijul and Khaled, while the boundaries started to flow simultaneously, but it did not bring anything good for Zimbabwe, who were needed to exhibit resolve rather than an aggressive intent. 96 for 2 became 131 for 5 in the twinkle of an eye and it was up to Brendan Taylor display his composure like Mushfiqur Rahim exhibited on Day 1.

Peter Moor, whose patience bore fruit in Sylhet accompanied Taylor at the other end, but this time around, he was the man to feed the composure of his partner.  

Taylor held one end firm. The highlight of his innings was the way he read the flight of Taijul and Mehidy Hasan Miraz. His sweep shot against a well-floated Mehidy delivery in the 40th over of the day indicated about the control over his shot. The ball raced towards the square-leg boundary for four. Taijul tried his sliders to unsettle Taylor, but his ability to read the ball from the bowler’s hand earlier than his other teammates, allowed him to go behind the line and block them firmly. His small strides against Taijul was another important thing, which made it easier to leak runs – some of them were dispatched for boundaries.

He switched to a strike-rotation mode, when five wickets fell. He kept it simple – use your feet well enough and get behind the line as much as possible – the runs will come.

The runs came and the partnership with Moor frustrated Bangladesh and at one point it seemed, Zimbabwe might end the day without losing further wickets. Moor trusted his defence a lot and targeted to blunt the attack by dealing with boundaries, which came at regular intervals. He waited for the loose-balls and whenever he got those, they either sailed over the infield or pierced the gaps with an absolute surgical precision.

It was all about complimenting each other. If Moor fed on Taylor’s composure, then Taylor utilized Moor’s fluency, as it forced Mahmudullah to set a defensive field, which made strike-rotation easier for Taylor.  

A stand of 139 runs was scripted where Moor contributed 83 runs facing 114 balls and Taylor 55 runs facing 104 balls. Of course, they were aided by some sloppy fielding, but that can’t undermine their gallant effort.

Taylor carried on after Moor’s departure, but in a crucial passage of play, Taylor lost his cool and attempted a slog sweep, which was caught in the outfield in an astonishing fashion by Taijul. A defiant knock could not be an epic one at the end of Day 3.

But nevertheless, Moor and, especially, Taylor have given Zimbabwe the slightest of hope of survival in this Test, in which, Bangladesh are all set to win. Their effort should inspire Zimbabwe. They lasted 105 overs in the first innings and a bit more resolve can be beneficial for them. It is an extremely tough task, but Taylor and Moor’s efforts should motivate others.     

 

Note: This article has been published at Cricketsoccer on 13/11/2018  Taylor and Moore’s fightback should inspire Zimbabwe 

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

Mahmudullah Riyad needs to pull up his socks in Test matches

Mahmudullah Riyad’s poor form is a worry for Bangladesh……

 The second day of the second Test between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe at Mirpur belongs to Mushfiqur Rahim. The pocket-sized dynamo registered his name in the record books after scripting a double hundred. He carried on his cautious approach on Day 2, even though, against a tiring Zimbabwean attack, Mushfiq was needed to accelerate as because, Bangladesh were not in trouble like yesterday and thus, batting slowly seemed a pretty negative approach. 

Bangladesh’s target was to instill fatigue among the visitors and post a big total in the first innings to gain a psychological advantage. But if Bangladesh are thinking of winning this Test, it was important to save time to force a result – if Zimbabwe, who have nothing to lose, start to grind, those slow passages of play might haunt Bangladesh badly. And for which, acceleration was needed and a timely declaration might have been even better.

As the fielding coach of Zimbabwe team, Shepherd Makunura said, “I think the game is still evenly poised, although Bangladesh batted quite well. It's all going to depend on how well we bat tomorrow, especially the first session. If we can negotiate the first session, we can make life a little easier for ourselves. It's going to take a lot of batting for us”.

Anyhow, in the subcontinent, for the sake of personal landmarks, the outcome of a Test had been ignored on many occasions. So, waiting for a Mushfiq double hundred or a Mehidy Hasan Miraz half-century was not surprising. Mushfiq finally bagged a double ton and with that, he became the first wicket-keeper in the history of Test cricket to essay two double hundreds.  

Also read: Mahmudullah: The unsung hero of Bangladesh cricket

  

Again, Mushfiq is the sixth batsman in the history to break the record of a country’s highest individual score twice. He would be accompanied by the likes of Sir Don Bradman, George Headley, Vinoo Mankand, Virender Sehwag and Brian Lara in that elite list of batsmen. Moreover, Mushfiq has faced most of the deliveries (421 balls) and stayed at the crease for the longest period (589 minutes) by a Bangladesh batsman.     

While Mushfiq was cruising towards his milestone, Mehidy Hasan went on to script a half-century and at one point it seemed, Bangladesh captain Mahmudullah Riyad would wait for Mehidy’s hundred as well. But thankfully, he declared and gave his bowlers 18 overs to test the Zimbabwean batsmen. The Tigers fetched one wicket and on a track, which gave evidence of an uneven bounce, the batsmen of visiting team negotiated quite well.

The stay of Mushfiq at the crease worked as a tonic for Mominul Haque and Mehidy Hasan, but it should have acted as a catalyst for Mahmudullah as well. With Shakib Al Hasan unavailable as the Test captain and reluctant to lead and play five-day matches, Mahmudullah might be the obvious choice as Test captain in future. And thus, he needs to lead from the front with the bat and as a tactician on the field as well.

On a day, where Bangladesh scored runs in plenty, one expected Mahmudullah to cash in and erase his lean patch like Mominul. Like Mominul, his batting performance in five-day matches have been very poor.

In 2018, including this Test, Mahmudullah has played six Test matches where he averages 21.13 and scored just 169 runs. His highest score is 83 not out, which was scripted on a graveyard-for-the-bowlers-deck in Chottogram against Sri Lanka at the start of this year.  0, 4, 0, 16 and 36 are his scores in the last five innings and since that 83 not out, the next five innings read: 28, 17, 6, 0 and 15. Not so pretty numbers for a man, who is dubbed as the next Test captain and is also one of the vital cogs of Bangladesh batting line-up.

Since that Test match against Sri Lanka at Chottogram at the start of this year, Mahmudullah had been bowled and trapped leg before once, while got caught behind and by others in the rest of the nine innings!  

Mahmudullah’s problems against the deliveries outside offstump and turning deliveries are evident these days. He is not using his feet enough when the ball is pitched up by the pace bowlers and has forgotten to leave the ones which lands on the offstump line and moves away, whereas, tries to dominate the spinners with a haphazard approach – either comes out of the crease to smash or attempts to sweep without even getting into an ideal position, which has resulted in an ugly lean patch. Even today, he was undone by a delivery, which was going away from his body from an offstump line – he poked at it and was caught behind  – the dismissal of a man, who has forgotten to keep his bat inside the line.

There are chinks in his technique and those can be corrected if Mahmudullah wishes to work on them. He is known as a hardworking cricketer. Sadly, his batting displays in five-day matches don’t hint that he is working enough on his insufficiencies.  But, Mahmudullah needs to pull his socks up and rediscover his mojo. He needs to overcome his shortcomings. 

Note: This article has been published at Cricketsoccer on 12/11/2018 Mahmudullah Riyad needs to pull up his socks in Test matches

Thank You 

Faisal Caesar     

Mushfiqur Rahim batting at number 5 benefits Bangladesh

Sanity prevailed in Mirpur as Mushfiqur Rahim came out to bat at number five and Bangladesh have been highly benefited……

At Sylhet, in the first Test against Zimbabwe, Mushfiqur Rahim’s decision to bat at number six was not welcomed by the critics. Being the best batsman of the team and in the absence of Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal, a lot of responsibilities depended on Mushfiq. The best batsman of the side should bat higher up the order, that is what the batsmen of top teams do.

The Zimbabwean bowlers set jitters in the Bangladesh batting order as four wickets fell in a matter of time and when Mushfiq came out to bat at number six in both innings, he had no genuine batsmen left to carry on the fight.   

Logic says, Mushfiq should have come out to bat either at number four or five, which would have not only given Bangladesh batting the ideal balance but also, would have helped to arrest the painful collapses. There is a school of thought, for the sake of keeping wickets, Mushfiq prefers to bat at number six, which sounds funny, but as a matter of fact, the numbers suggest, he has scored more runs batting at number six and seven.

While batting at number six, he averages 37.18, which is way better than 26.31 – batting at number 4, 32.55 – batting at number 5 and 32.55 – batting at number 7. Moreover, last year, he averaged more than 50, while batting at number six. So, his decision to bat at number six is well-backed by the numbers.

But in fact, numbers cannot always be considered as the only important thing according to the demand of the situation. When your team demands responsibility, you need to shun emotions and forget about the numbers and act accordingly. Also, in the absence of the vital cog - Shakib, along with whom Mushfiq batted most of the times at number six and seven to boost his numbers,  it was the order of the day for Mushfiq to promote himself high up the order.

In Sylhet, it did not happen, but sanity prevailed at Mirpur, where Mushfiq came out to bat in a very critical situation and stabilized the situation with composure.  

Kyle Jarvis started to move the ball and his seam-up deliveries left the Bangladesh top-order in disarray. Imrul Kayes and Liton Kumar Das were devoured by the sharp movement and when Donald Tiripano had the better of debutante Mohammad Mithun, it seemed, Bangladesh would fail to surpass 200 runs in ninth consecutive innings.

Thankfully, Mushfiq came out to bat at number five. The first ball he faced from Tiripano was a-length-one, which seamed, but Mushfiq shouldered arms and left it. It was close enough, but not closer enough to hit the stumps. That’s where the experience of Mushfiq came into play – he picked up the length earlier and decided to leave – it hinted confidence of a man, who went out there to resuscitate the innings.    

Mushfiq’s partner, Mominul Haque was finding it tough at the other end. He was dropped at 9 and 25 and never seemed to be able to get into the zone after such a horrendous run in the previous Test matches. In such a situation, Mominul badly needed assurance from the other end to flourish and Mushfiq’s decision to bat at number five simply provided Mominul with the assurance and guidance.

In the post-match interview, Mominul said, “Mushfiqur bhai guided me throughout my innings. I found out why he is one of the top five players in Bangladesh. It really affected me. I think his input was important for me. I think it is one of my best hundreds. It was an interesting innings. It was tougher than some of my other hundreds”.

Indeed a tough hundred for a man, whose numbers are pathetic in the previous innings. What such players need is guidance to travel through the troubled waters and such a guidance comes from the experienced campaigners like Mushfiq, who is arguably the best batsman of Bangladesh cricket team.

Then, when the matter was about arresting a collapse, Mushfiq played his role like a wall, which tough to break for the Zimbabwean pacers, who posed a big threat in the morning session.

The pacers pitched the ball tad fuller to use the early morning moisture and Mushfiq decided to get behind the line as much as possible to execute the drive through cover and cut through backward point region – 30 and 23 runs came respectively through those regions in comparison to 19 runs at square leg and 17 runs at midwicket – the areas, which Mushfiq loves to score runs. There were lesser through the V as it was not easy to score runs through long on and long off – the sharp movement would have kissed the edge.

But the best thing about Mushfiq’s knock was occupying the crease. Maybe, scoring slowly is not appreciated enough in this age of power-hitting, but still, when the matter is about grafting match-saving partnerships in trying circumstances, such a ploy is still as valuable as gold.

Mushfiq’s strike rate was 48 in comparison to Mominul’s 161 – the little man went slow, but his composure provided the perfect foil to Mominul’s fluency, who brought an end to his lean patch and at the end of day, Mushfiq remained not out on 111 – his first hundred since that eye-catching ton against India last year in Hyderabad.

Certainly, Mushfiq batting at number five helped Bangladesh a lot. 

Note: This article has been published at Cricketsoccer  on 11/10/2018 Mushfiqur Rahim batting at number 5 benefits Bangladesh

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

Bangladesh need to ask themselves whether they are interested to play Test cricket or not

Bangladesh’s poor show in Test cricket continues…….

110, 123, 43, 144, 149, 168, 143 and 169!

These are not Virat Kohli, Joe Root or Kane Williamson’s individual scores in a Test match, but the totals of a team, where eleven men failed to surpass 200 runs in eight consecutive Test innings. Moreover, in the last 26 Test series, the team has failed to win one as the last series victory came in 2014 against Zimbabwe.

This is the story of Bangladesh, who were extremely upbeat to achieve the coveted Test status 18 years ago. They achieved the Test status in 2000, but sadly, the story has not been satisfactory as it should have been. Moreover, at present, it seems, the Bangladesh cricketers are not interested enough to wear white cloth.    

Bangladesh just needed enough application on Day 4 of the first Test at Sylhet. The wicket did not crumble and the ball was not posing a threat like the spitting cobras. It was still a very good wicket to bat on and it would be a stupidity to blame the deck, which was a standard Test match wicket.

The new ball moved as usual in the morning session and Bangladesh openers, yet again, exposed their edges, but this time around, luck favoured them as the Zimbabwean fielders dropped two catches within 20 minutes of play.

Even luck was favouring the home team.

Also read: An uphill task for Bangladesh, but nothing is impossible

Kyle Jarvis was the epitome of discipline in the morning. He consistently attacked the stumps and extracted movement from a full-length. It was a testing session for the openers and their shaky stay at the crease scripted fifty runs, but Zimbabwe were just one wicket away from a collapse. Sikandar Raza trapped Liton Das lbw and in the twinkle of an eye, Bangladesh collapsed to 111 for 5 at lunch and lost the last five wickets within the first hour of play in the post-lunch session.

The batsmen of Bangladesh repeated the story of first innings and what is more alarming was the lack of application among the top order batters.

The way the Bangladeshi top order batsmen have been performing in the last eight innings, it simply forces a cricket follower to think whether the Tigers are interested to play Test matches or not.

Since that disastrous show at Mirpur in the second Test against Sri Lanka, Bangladesh’s progress in 50-over format has made them a force to reckon. But as soon as the format changes, Bangladesh play in such a manner as if a fish has been told to swim on the land and not water. The disinterest to play five-day matches are pretty evident among the players and surprisingly, Bangladesh forget, how grateful they are towards this Test status.

Had Bangladesh not been a Test nation, cricket might never have bloomed throughout the region like today. Still, now it would have been heavily limited to the elite divisions like Dhaka, Sylhet and Chottogram. For the Test status, Bangladesh are able to play against the big nations, which has ultimately helped them to improve.

Moreover, a team is mostly judged by their performance in five-day matches. At the end of the day, critics and experts would judge Shakib Al Hasan or Mustafizur Rahman by their contributions to Test matches. Don’t forget, people still talk and analyze about Sachin Tendulkar’s 241 at SCG more than those hundreds at  Sharjah in 1998. As because, performance in Test matches bear enough weight. Be it Clive Lloyd’s West Indies, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting’s Australia, Imran Khan’s Pakistan or Sourav Ganguly’s India; all received accolades after uplifting their performances in five-day matches.

Bangladesh’s lacklustre attitude in Test matches has been a disgrace. Without improving in Test cricket, Bangladesh cannot think about ruling the roost in upcoming days. Their body language simply conveys the message that they are not interested to play Test cricket. Even players like Shakib and Mustafiz also expressed their lack of interest in playing Test matches.

The Tigers need to ask themselves whether they are interested to play Test cricket or not. If they are serious, then they should dig deep and improve their skills. And if they are not serious, just take a sabbatical from the format as because, Bangladesh’s lack interest to play Test matches is insulting the hardly earned Test status a lot!

Note: This article has been published at Cricketsoccer on 06/11/2018 Bangladesh need to ask themselves whether they are interested to play Test cricket or not

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

An uphill task for Bangladesh, but nothing is impossible

Bangladesh would be chasing 321 runs in fourth innings to win the first Test, which is a tough task, but not impossible……

The light was too poor to continue play and thus, a further play was not possible. After a tiring day, both teams walked out the field with various thoughts in their respective minds. An interesting day awaiting for Bangladesh and Zimbabwe tomorrow, where both the sides would cash in big time.

Perhaps, Zimbabwe left the field thinking they have given the hosts a total to chase, which would be an uphill task in the fourth innings of a Test in the subcontinent, where the wickets behave wickedly – much more assistance for the spinners. Again, the fragile technique of the Bangladesh batters against the new ball would also encourage Hamilton Maskadza and his men.

Whereas,  while leaving the field, Imrul Kayes and Liton Das might have thought, at least 26 runs have been cut out from the overall total without losing any wickets. What they would need to do tomorrow is play with a positive frame of mind. Indeed, Bangladesh would need to bat with a positive frame of mind on Day 4 as because, even though a Day  4 wicket in the subcontinent behaves wickedly, but still now, the Sylhet deck has not deteriorated like Mirpur or Chittagong. It is still a very good track to bat on if the right the kind of attitude is displayed.

Bangladesh would be chasing a total on Day 4, which they have never chased before.  They have won four times by chasing in the fourth innings, but those totals were not above 300 runs. Yes, Bangladesh have scored 300 and above thrice in fourth innings, but sadly, in those matches, the Tigers lost. Their highest score in the fourth innings is 413 against Sri Lanka at Mirpur in 2008. Moreover, in the 150-year old history of Test cricket, a team has won 20 times while chasing a total of 321 and above and in the subcontinent, such has happened just five times!

The records and meek surrender in the first innings don’t give enough hope, but still, in cricket nothing is impossible. Bangladesh just need to bat positively.

Now batting positively does not mean having a go at the bowling from the word go, but exhibiting resolve is also a part of it. The Bangladesh batsmen need to bear in mind, the ball tends to move a bit in the morning session in Sylhet and thus needs to leave the ball more outside that channel of uncertainty rather than attempting to drive or poke. Leaving the ball in that region would frustrate the bowler to change his line of attack and that is when a batsman needs to cash in.

In the first innings, the Zimbabwean new ball bowlers – Kyle Jarvis and Tendai Chatara – feed in the rush-of-blood of Bangladesh batters.  The more Bangladesh attempted to drive outside off, the more they put the ball there and also, had been successful in bringing the ball back in after bowling a couple of outswingers, which beat the fragile defence of Bangladesh batters more often.

And for which, Bangladesh batters need to curb their aggressive intent and invest time in spending time at the crease and deal in singles and twos to build productive partnerships. Switching to a limited-overs mode won’t help Bangladesh much. Batsmen like Kayes, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah Riyad are experienced enough to stitch partnerships and steer the ship safely to the shore.

In the first innings, there was a bad tendency of exposing the edge among the top-order batters, which should not be repeated. Such things happen when a bit of problem exists in the back lift. If your back lift is not appropriate, your bat comes down by exposing the edge and also leaves a gap between bat and ball – you lose the battle.

It is expected, head-coach Steve Rhodes has observed the chinks in Bangladesh batting technique and would definitely work on those.

A calm and composed batting approach would help Bangladesh a lot tomorrow.

Note: This article has been published at Cricketsoccer on 05/11/2018 An uphill task for Bangladesh, but nothing is impossible

Thank You
Faisal Caesar 

Jarvis and Chatara convey Bangladesh think tank important message

Zimbabwe seamers made the best use of the condition in Sylhet, which has left Bangladesh think tank pondering of playing just one seamer…..

When commentator Ed Rainsford was doing the pitch report on first day, he termed the Sylhet deck as dry with an evidence of cracks in it. Also, there were dark patches on the track, which hinted about the presence of moisture. At this time of the year, such moistures don’t dry away so easily but tend to assist the seamers in major parts of the day.

Ideally, any team would back the inclusion of at least two seamers in the side. But Bangladesh emphasized on picking up just one.

Bangladesh bowled first and the fourth ball of Abu Jayed curled like hell indicating how much juice the track had for the seamers. Jayed discovered Taijul Islam as his partner with the new ball at the other end – a familiar scenario, which has been a ploy to achieve success in the last three years.

Well, at times, such a ploy does not work in all conditions. Moreover, playing against teams like Zimbabwe unleashes the opportunity to play with at least three seamers. Bangladesh’s main strength is the spinners, but at the other hand, Bangladesh think tank must encourage the development of pacers as well. Overemphasizing on just one sector tends to halt the growth of others.

Sadly, neither Taijul found any turn nor bounce on the deck with the new cherry, but the deck demanded yet another seamer.

Taijul picked up wickets, but it was not about the assistance from deck. Taijul’s first three wickets were an amalgamation of sloppy batting and a slice of luck. While the rest three wickets were the tail-enders, who hardly posed a threat. Zimbabwe’s fifth and sixth wicket pairs stabilized the proceedings. Peter Moor, Regis Chakabva and Sean Williams’ defiant resistance frustrated Bangladesh, who searched for wickets.

Mahmudullah Riayd, the stand-in captain, brought on Jayed as he noticed a grey sky above midway through the post-lunch session. Jayed bowled aggressively and moved the cherry. He created pressure, but the use of a spinner at the other end did not work well. The home team needed the services of another pacer. Image two seamers operating with the new ball and then, doing the same under the grey sky against Zimbabwe’s resistance – one thing can be said with confidence, the Zimbabwean resistance might not have lasted longer.  

Well, Bangladesh did have someone like Ariful Haque to bowl some seam-up deliveries, but sadly, Ariful is more about line-and-length stuff rather than generating pace and movement – useful in the shorter formats though. Test cricket demands more skill.

In the post-lunch session of Day 2, Tendai Chatara and Kyle Jarvis started off by pitching the ball up more to t batters from a full-length and swing it as much as possible as because the weather in Sylhet during November is not as hot and dry like March or September or October and despite the sunshine, the chill in the air could be felt.

Sylhet is a tropical region where the rainfall is more in most months of the year, and dry season is relatively shorter. The dark clouds tend to fly over the sky of Sylhet consistently and always gives the impression of a shower at any moment. Moreover, the presence of winter can be felt earlier in Sylhet than other divisions.

Thus, even if you try to prepare a dry-deck, it might not start to crumble to early as because, the moisture does not vanish in the twinkle of an eye. And in a tropical region like Sylhet, obviously, the seamers would get some assistance.

And for which, Jarvis and Chatara were able to extract enough movement off the deck. After bowling two away swingers, they brought one back from the back of a length against which, the Bangladesh batters failed to negotiate.

Their discipline and skill exposed Bangladesh’s fragile technique and temperament. Mahmudullah and Imrul Kayes watched the ball move away but left a gap between bat and pad when the ball came back in, while Liton Das and Nazmul Hasan poked at one, which was leaving after pitching around the offstump.

The top-order was outclassed by the movement and Bangladesh could never recover from the disastrous start.

Zimbabwe bossed the day and certainly, they deserved such. While the visitors studied and utilized the condition better, the hosts think tank took things for granted.  They waited for the condition to favour them rather than thinking of utilizing it the right way. And, when you wait for things to happen in Test cricket, you can’t reap a rich harvest.      

Note: This article has been published at Cricketsoccer on 04/11/2018  Jarvis and Chatara convey Bangladesh think tank important message

Thank You

Faisal Caesar