At the press conference after the Sylhet Test defeat to Zimbabwe, Najmul Hossain Shanto was asked a wide range of topics, from his terrible shot to be out at the beginning of the fourth day to the higher salary the players now receive to the market value of Bangladesh cricket.
He struggled to find answers to the more difficult questions, but he was honest about the shot he had made and how it affected the game. Captains may suffer greatly during transitions, particularly after losing to an underdog team.
“It was my fault that we lost the match, that’s the truth,” Shanto stated.
“We lost the entire match because of my early morning wicket [off the second ball of the day].” We would have been in a better position if Shanto and Jaker Ali had scored an additional 50 or 60 runs at that point. I don’t want to place the responsibility elsewhere. Due to the unfortunate timing of my dismissal, I am taking on all obligations. I consider taking advantage of scoring opportunities all the time. I could have waited a little longer [before playing my shots]. However, I’ll try that shot again; perhaps this time the timing wasn’t ideal.
Shanto ended up throwing a leading edge to deep fine leg after he tripped while trying to draw a short delivery outside off from Blessing Muzarabani. However, at 194 for 5, there were still specialised batters available. As Shanto’s deputy, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, attempted to score rapidly but was frustrated by Zimbabwe’s short-ball strategy, Jaker maintained his impressive form in Test matches. In the opening half-hour, Bangladesh lost three wickets, including him.
Shanto claimed that Bangladesh had failed to apply themselves sufficiently, particularly against Muzarabani, who completed with career-best match statistics of 9 for 122.
He [Muzarabani] bowled well, of course, and his height gives him a further edge. However, Shanto stated that the batting unit need to have assumed a little more accountability. “We need to have prepared against him a little better. Their primary bowler is him. His spells needed to be handled [better]. We did it for a while, I believe, but it wasn’t enough.
The Mushfiqur Rahim predicament in Bangladesh
Mushfiqur Rahim’s batting form is another issue that Bangladesh is dealing with. Despite being the team’s senior and final connection to the past, he hasn’t scored much since the 191 he hit against Pakistan in the ten-wicket victory in Rawalpindi last August. In addition, Mushfiqur is only five Tests away from becoming the first cricket player from Bangladesh to play 100 Tests.
However, Mushfiqur’s spot in the squad is far from assured, milestone or not, given his best of 37 in his last 12 Test innings.
“He is a skilled cricket player. In addition to his hitting contributions, he also participates in the planning team when we field,” Shanto stated. “He assists the hitters.” He speaks a lot while he is training. His batting is crucial, of course. His milestone and past accomplishments are not on my mind, and I don’t believe he is either. With just one game left, I’m hoping he’ll return. I’m not going to give up. He has previously made comebacks after being in bad form.
Additionally, Shanto defended their selection of the Sylhet pitch, which had more carry and pace than most pitches in the nation. “I don’t believe that just because we lost a game, we should overuse home advantage. I believe we ought to play this opposition on this kind of pitch.
For yet another time, Bangladesh’s spin bowling proved their strong suit. As Bangladesh made it difficult for Zimbabwe, Taijul Islam grabbed two wickets in the second innings and Mehidy took ten, making him the third Bangladeshi to reach 200 Test wickets. “Miraz and Taijul tried hard and they bowled extremely well,” remarked Shanto. “You have to give credit. However, I believe there weren’t enough runs scored.
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