2024-04-04 11:09:20
Before the start of the Chittagong Test, the acting head coach of this match, Nick Pothus, asked for two years. Claiming their young team, they said, ‘Our team is a young and inexperienced team. At this moment, we have only one thing to do, to be patient. This group is awesome. It is better to judge them with two years’ time than to judge them now.’
Among those addressed by Nick Pothus are Tarun Zaker, Jai, Shahadat, Khaled, Nahid Rana, Shariful Islam. But Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Liton Das, Muminul Haque, Mehedi Hasan Miraj, Taijul Islam, Shakib Al Hasan, how young he claims? Not only Pothas, the current Test squad has been claimed by captain Shant as young. He also called for time.
Shanto, who made his Test debut in 2017, played his 27th Test today. Muminul’s test career is 61 matches. Shakib played 67 matches, Liton 41, Miraj 43 and Taijul 46 matches. On the other hand, Joy has played 13 Tests, Shahadat 4, Zakir 7 and Khaled 14. Although these four are behind in experience, the rest have spent a long time in Test cricket. Still, Shanta urged the team to give it time.
In the press conference, Shanto said, ‘The young team is about mentality. Very young and many new players are playing in this team. Not very experienced. That habit may come to play. I think all the players have the desire to play, the interest. How they can play better cricket. If this team goes slowly for more time you will see that they are able to make better decisions.’
Bangladesh’s next Test match is against South Africa at home. After that will tour India and Pakistan. There is a West Indies tour at the end of the year. The new season will start again with the National League in October. Test team players do not have the opportunity to play domestic first-class cricket. There needs to be enough ‘A’ team series to keep the Test team players busy.
Shanto also claimed, ‘The thing that seems most effective to me is when Bangladesh can send the ‘A’ team to the place with the ‘A’ team before we go to play a series. Then those who are only playing Tests or those who are only in one or two formats will get a chance to play matches. Then the condition and preparation will be good. Difficult for those who play in all three formats. They have to prepare mentally. Those who only play Tests, if we can send the ‘A’ team, then this place will improve a little.’
Shanta also insisted on improving the first-class wicket, ‘if the wicket in first-class cricket is a little better, in such conditions we can face the challenges in which we will play, then it is good. It will be good if we get that challenge in domestic cricket.’