Over the last few years Zimbabwe has made major dents into Bangladesh’s reputation, winning the one-off Test series in 2011 and inflicting a huge defeat on the Tigers in the first Test of the next series in 2013. On both occasions, they also won the corresponding one-day international series’, impacting Bangladesh’s cricketing landscape as a result. Sakib al Hasan lost his captaincy in 2011 after defeats in both Test and ODIs and Mushfiqur Rahim nearly quit the next time.
Officials of the Bangladesh Cricket Board had to convince Mushfiq to backtrack from his decision to resign, taken in the middle of the series. Mushfiq stayed on, but the wound is still fresh.
Given the backdrop, Bangladeshi players will look to redress the damage as they take on Zimbabwe in the first of three Tests today at Dhaka’s Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.
Unlike the previous two occasions when Zimbabwe used chilly home conditions to their advantage, unsettling Bangladesh with an average seam attack, they will face a trial of spin bowling in Bangladesh’s generally low and slow wickets.
Talismanic all-rounder Sakib al Hasan returns to lead Bangladesh’s spin attack and the home side also included prodigious leg-spinner Jubair Hossain and left-arm spinner Taijul Islam in the squad.
Zimbabwe insist they can also give Bangladesh a dose of their own medicine adding two some young spinners in their line-up, in leg-spinner Tafadzwa Kamungozi and Natsai M’shangwe, besides left-arm spinner Wellington Masakadza and off-spinner John Nyumbu.
Mushfiq, however, is not ready to treat Zimbabwe’s unheralded spin attack with too much respect.
‘Their entire spin department is quite inexperienced. They should be more concerned about us,’ Mushfiq declared at the pre-match press briefing at Dhaka’s Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.
‘With regards to leg spin, yes, it is true that we don’t face too much of it in domestic cricket. [But] given the general quality of their spin attack, I think we can handle them.’
‘Also, we have faced Jubair (Hossain) for the last six months or so, so that should help in terms of preparations. We are ready for it. We will try to put pressure on their inexperienced spin attack.’
Mushfiq can draw comfort from fact that in Bangladesh’s starting line-up there will be at least two more players who, not in the very distant past, represented the team as specialised spinners.
Shubhagata Hom will join Mahmudullah in the team as batting all-rounder, giving skipper Rahim an added option for off-spin bowling. Though Mahmudullah bowls regularly at the Test match level, he will play as a batsman in the crucial number four spot.
Mominul Haque will be promoted in the batting order from number four to three, said a source inside the team.
Before the first Test, Bangladesh’s only selection dilemma is pace bowler Al –Amin Hossain, who is suffering from a side strain. Should Al-Amin play, he will share the new ball with Shahadat Hossain, otherwise, Rubel Hossain will take his place.
-With New Age input
