Bangladeshi pace bowlers can deliver similar performances in the future as they did in the just-concluded two-Test series against Zimbabwe provided they are managed in an organised approach, said Australian trainer Stuart Karppinen on Tuesday.
Robiul Islam brought a breath of fresh air in the Tigers’ dressing room after spearheading the bowling attack in two successive Test matches, an unusual scenario for a side which was mostly marshaled by spinners irrespective of conditions, opponents and circumstances.
Bangladesh’s overdependence on spin backfired in the first Test match when they lost by 335 runs and the margin could have been even bigger had Robiul not taken six wickets in the second innings and given them a platform to fight with.
In two Test matches, Robiul bowled 110 overs, the maximum by a Bangladeshi pacer, bettering the previous record of Khaled Mahmud, who bowled 99 overs in three Tests against Pakistan in 2003.
The two-Test series of long spells sapped all his energy and just when it was time for someone else to put up his hands, Ziaur Rahman came out of the blue to bowl Bangladesh to a 143-run win in the second Test.
Zia took four vital wickets in the second innings that not only saved him from justifying his inclusion but also helped his side level the two-match Test series 1-1, lifting their confidence from appalling state they were in after the first Test.
Their impressive displays came as an eye opener for Bangladesh, who often cried in vain due to a lack of resources in the pace bowling department but hardly concentrated their efforts on the proper management of the players.
Robiul and Zia both carried some injuries in the recent past, but when the other players spent their time playing different competitions, they were taken care of by Karppinen at the National Cricket Academy and his efforts bore fruit in the series.
‘I think Robiul (Islam) surely deserves the reward for making the effort,’ said Karppinen. ‘A similar feat can be repeated by the other pace bowlers if they are managed well. One of the major lacking in the strength of the pace bowlers is their back and lower parts of the body that can be improved in the pre-season training sessions.
Karppinen went on to emphasise that there is no need to bowl fast if someone does not have the body to support it.
‘I think they should follow Zaheer Khan and Chaminda Vaas as models. They are resilient and very skillful bowlers under all conditions,’ said Karppinen.
Karppinen informed that he was now working with young prodigy Taskin Ahmed, who grabbed the headlines during the Bangladesh Premier League. The trainer is against the idea of rushing Taskin into international cricket as his body was not ready to cope yet.
‘There is some sort of structural abnormality on his (Taskin Ahmed) left leg. He needs to work three to 12 months before we can even think of launching him,’ said Karppinen.
-With New Age input
