For Mushfiqur Rahim it is almost embarrassing. The euphoria over one-day success overshadowed Bangladesh’s recent upward trend in Test cricket, leaving skipper Mushfiq in a bad taste.
As Bangladesh are preparing to take South Africa in the first Test today, the skipper made no attempt to hide his frustration, reminding all the success of Tigers in Tests over the past eight months when they lost just once.
‘It may feel a little bad because the way we are progressing in the one-dayers, everyone wants the same amount of progress in Test as well,’ Mushfiq said in Chittagong on Monday.
‘I think that is the way we have been playing in the last eight months and with the good results coming by there is a good chance for us to do well in this Test series,’ he said.
The success of Mashrafee bin Murtaza’s one-day side has earned Bangladesh a comparison of 1996 Sri Lanka and Mushfiq can very well claim it all started with him as captain.
He led the Tigers successfully to a 3-0 series sweep against Zimbabwe and then maintained success in the Test series against Pakistan when they came from behind to eke out their first ever draw against the side.
Bangladesh held India to return unscathed in a rain-marred Test in Fatullah before they clinched the back-to-back ODI series over India and South Africa by identical margin of 2-1.
‘We won three out of the last six Tests that we played, although those wins came against Zimbabwe but still we had to take 20 wickets,’ said Mushfiq. ‘Overall I think in the last eight months we have gained plenty of confidence.’
It has been argued that Mushfiq’s Test side lacked the necessary motivation and the killer instinct that is the hallmark of Mashrafee–led ODI side playing a fearless brand of cricket in recent months.
Their progress to World Cup quarter-finals at the expense of England, consecutive series wins over giants Pakistan, India and South Africa completely changed the perception about the team.
Mushfiq, who is also a part of all these successes as a player, said it is not the format, rather the form of players that matters mostly for a side.
‘Although Test cricket is a different ball game but this is still an opportunity because everyone is in good form,’ he said. ‘If the batsmen and bowlers are in good form, there is always a chance to do well,’ he said.
The Tigers’ ability to bounce back from outright defeat of Twenty20 International series and 1-0 deficit in ODIs against South also gave the team the necessary belief, said Mushfiq.
‘In the dressing room, there is a sense of confidence because we cameback in such a manner against South Africa. Whenever we have faced South Africa we never faced them with this kind of a mentality.
‘We just have to work hard and play well for five days, and it will be a challenge,’ he said.
-With New Age input
