The captain of Bangladesh, Najmul Shanto, stated on Friday that they would rather play at home on sports wickets.
As was typically the case when Bangladesh played at home, the pitch ended up becoming the centre of conversation in Sylhet. In order to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series, the host defeated Ireland by an innings and 47 runs thanks to the surface’s spin, movement off the seam, and abundance of runs for the batsmen.
“It isn’t as though we desired a wicket that was spin-friendly. A sporting wicket was what we were hoping for. Najmul Shanto remarked, “The wicket still looked pretty good after three or four days.” “It is contingent upon the character of the opponent. However, I always think that playing on a sporting pitch is crucial if the chance arises. However, you must also keep in mind that this is international Test cricket in the end. Winning the game is therefore also crucial.
“Any advantage that may be gained to win [under home conditions] is acceptable… However, a sports wicket is excellent, in my opinion. The ground was excellent for batting in this match, and all bowlers, from pacers to spinners, were able to assist. Therefore, the team as a whole benefits from a wicket like this.
It’s unclear now if Bangladesh will have a spin-friendly wicket in Mirpur, the host city for the second Test starting on November 19.
“There is always a challenge in Mirpur when playing against any opponent or bowling. There is no room to think independently or in addition. There will be a struggle, but how we respond to it will matter. “I hope this confidence will be helpful in Mirpur, given the way we played this match,” Najmul Shanto stated.
The performance of returning opening batsman Mahmudul Hasan Joy and rookie Hasan Murad was commended by Najmul Shanto.
In a location like Bangladesh, Murad’s endurance as a spinner is significant. He (Murad) plays first-class cricket every year, performs reliably, and has excellent stats. The captain remarked, “It was entertaining to watch how he bowled after entering.”
“Joy] found it really difficult to bounce back after being dropped and to play such a significant innings in the opening game, yet his batting style didn’t even give the impression that he was making a comeback. That is an advantage. Joy has changed his perspective a lot, in my opinion, and I hope he plays with this mindset against all teams going forward,” Najmul Shanto stated.
In Ireland’s second innings, Murad took four wickets, bringing his match total to six. He was instrumental in the visitors’ innings being concluded with poise and accuracy. Joy, on the other hand, made a spectacular comeback to the team after being benched, scoring a dominant 171 in Bangladesh’s enormous first-inning total.
In addition, Najmul Shanto stated that they are excited to play the Mirpur Test with Mushfiqur Rahim, who would be the first player from the nation to appear in 100 Test matches.
It’s unquestionably a significant accomplishment. I’m ecstatic. As gamers, we want to have fun on that day or over the course of those five days. We always feel that such a feat has never been accomplished in Bangladesh, hence there is room for respect,” Najmul Shanto remarked.
We therefore constantly expect that such a person would be treated with the utmost dignity. And I’ll do my best to do that as captain. I also hope that Mushfiq bhai would continue to play for the squad when he plays his 100th game. due to the fact that our test team needs participants with such experience. “So, I hope he keeps doing that,” he said.
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