Bangladesh Watch: 2022 and Beyond

[Kriterion_BD]

This will actually include the rest of the 2021 as well with home series vs Pakistan.

Its been almost 7 years since I did a thread like this, and that time there was a lot of optimism (http://www.zimcricketforums.com/viewtop ... f=6&t=7144).

Bangladesh actually exceeded my expectations in that 4 year block picking up ODI series wins vs Pakistan, India, South Africa, making the Champions Trophy Semifinal, retaining a top 7 ODI ranking throughout that time (up to the present), and then winning Tests against England, Australia, Sri Lanka, and West Indies. The period ended with a disappointing 8th place finish at the World Cup (Bangladesh were the 6th team for 80% of that tournament before South Africa and Sri Lanka snuck up from behind us).

For 2022 and onwards, I am far more pessimistic. Currently, there seems to be a lot of drama going on - I say seems because I don't know the details, but there seems to be mass discontent amongst at least a faction of cricketers. Don't really know what its about. I'll try to focus mostly on cricket related things.

Test cricket

My favorite format.

Bangladesh had the most matches/series cancelled due to COVID during WTC, playing just 7 of their scheduled 14 Tests. 6 losses, and just a solitary draw against a weak Sri Lanka outfit was massively disappointing. Bangladesh was also the very last out of the Test nations to resume first class cricket after the pandemic started, with the National Cricket League resuming just 3 weeks ago.

WTC 2 is not going to be an easy schedule for Bangladesh. Home series vs Pakistan, India, and Sri Lanka will mean Bangladesh cannot try to bank on turning pitches. Overseas tours of New Zealand, South Africa, and West Indies (plus a series in Zimbabwe) means 8 Tests on seam-friendly pitches in a span of 8 months. That is not a workload that Bangladesh are used to, made even more difficult with continuous bio-bubbles.

At best I can see Bangladesh drawing a couple of Tests at home, and losing the rest away. The one draw in WTC 1 spared us of the ignominy of finishing dead last and with zero points. We will have to really fight hard to ensure we don't finish on 0 again this time around. Of course, I'm excited to see us play in whites, I just think there is a very high probability we could lose 12 out of 12 Tests.

With Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim still in their prime, and Mominul Haque, and young Najmul Hossain Shanto...I still think we have the batting ability to draw Tests, especially at home. And while I think the bowling has more promise than it ever had before (not exactly a high bar here), its still way too raw, and never gets the support it needs to prosper. Therefore, taking 20 wickets, will more than likely be a pipedream.

ODI cricket

We still remain reliant on the senior Big 4 of Tamim, Mushy, Shakib, and Riyad. I would like to see Shanto get a long run, and I think he has the talent to be Bangladesh's Babar Azam in Tests and ODIs. I really think it should be the end of the road, and perhaps the BCB feels the same, with Soumya Sarkar and Liton Das, and now is the time to slowly start blooding the 2020 U-19 batch with Towhid Hridoy and Mahmudul Hasan Joy looking the most ready so far. Tanzid Hasan Tamim is an exciting talent IMO, but he tends to get dismissed cheaply all too often. Still young Tamim has hit his maiden first class century, and now averages 37 at a strike rate of 83.

I think Shoriful Islam is fantastic find of a seamer, and I suspect he will soon be joined by his former U-19 new ball partner, Tanzim Hasan Sakib. I would also like to see SLA Rakibul Hasan in the mix sooner rather than later.

T20 cricket

Don't really care about this format, so I won't go into much detail, but unless Bangladesh makes a U-turn, they will struggle mightily in next years world cup.

Overall Conclusion

I think its clear now that Bangladesh are at present not going to become much better than they already are. That is to say, they will likely remain a 8-9th ranked side in Tests, a 6-7th ranked side in ODIs, and 10th ranked side in T20Is. To be an elite team (top 5) in any format, reqiures having a good pace attack, in addition to solid batting lineup. Bangladesh lack the first, and are iffy on the latter. Its not that there isn't pace talent in Bangladesh or that we are a country that can only produce 125-130 kph trundlers. We have probably 7-8 bowlers domestically who can consistently bowl 135-140, and 4 or 5 who can bowl 140+. Its that our climate excludes the types of pitches in which fast bowlers can thrive. Pakistan and many of Indian's pace bowlers come from a wholly different climate which is arid, and hot (Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkwa, and Uttar Pradesh/Delhi) and so even if the pitches are low and slow or devoid of grass, bowlers can reverse the ball. In Bangladesh the weather is too warm for traditional swing (unlike England or New Zealand), but also too humid and wet for reverse (unlike most of Pakistan, and many parts of north-central India).

A second thing is that Bangladesh's cricketing culture is very uni-dimensional in many respects. For example, the idea that off spinners can only bowl to left handed batsmen is pervasive and not something that will go away quickly. There is also an aversion to bowling wrist spin, and so you end up just right and left handed finger spinners - which means there is both a lack in variation in our bowling attack, but also means our batsmen have little clue to face spinners who aren't orthodox turners of the ball.

There are many other problems of course, where the BCB lacks vision, decisiveness, and patience in order to make real changes and create a better cricketing culture across the country. Systemic change is needed, but very unlikely to come any time soon. Thus, Bangladesh will remain a mediocre side for the foreseeable future.

[slcricfan1]

This will actually include the rest of the 2021 as well with home series vs Pakistan.

Its been almost 7 years since I did a thread like this, and that time there was a lot of optimism (http://www.zimcricketforums.com/viewtop ... f=6&t=7144).

Bangladesh actually exceeded my expectations in that 4 year block picking up ODI series wins vs Pakistan, India, South Africa, making the Champions Trophy Semifinal, retaining a top 7 ODI ranking throughout that time (up to the present), and then winning Tests against England, Australia, Sri Lanka, and West Indies. The period ended with a disappointing 8th place finish at the World Cup (Bangladesh were the 6th team for 80% of that tournament before South Africa and Sri Lanka snuck up from behind us).

For 2022 and onwards, I am far more pessimistic. Currently, there seems to be a lot of drama going on - I say seems because I don't know the details, but there seems to be mass discontent amongst at least a faction of cricketers. Don't really know what its about. I'll try to focus mostly on cricket related things.

Test cricket

My favorite format.

Bangladesh had the most matches/series cancelled due to COVID during WTC, playing just 7 of their scheduled 14 Tests. 6 losses, and just a solitary draw against a weak Sri Lanka outfit was massively disappointing. Bangladesh was also the very last out of the Test nations to resume first class cricket after the pandemic started, with the National Cricket League resuming just 3 weeks ago.

WTC 2 is not going to be an easy schedule for Bangladesh. Home series vs Pakistan, India, and Sri Lanka will mean Bangladesh cannot try to bank on turning pitches. Overseas tours of New Zealand, South Africa, and West Indies (plus a series in Zimbabwe) means 8 Tests on seam-friendly pitches in a span of 8 months. That is not a workload that Bangladesh are used to, made even more difficult with continuous bio-bubbles.

At best I can see Bangladesh drawing a couple of Tests at home, and losing the rest away. The one draw in WTC 1 spared us of the ignominy of finishing dead last and with zero points. We will have to really fight hard to ensure we don't finish on 0 again this time around. Of course, I'm excited to see us play in whites, I just think there is a very high probability we could lose 12 out of 12 Tests.

With Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim still in their prime, and Mominul Haque, and young Najmul Hossain Shanto...I still think we have the batting ability to draw Tests, especially at home. And while I think the bowling has more promise than it ever had before (not exactly a high bar here), its still way too raw, and never gets the support it needs to prosper. Therefore, taking 20 wickets, will more than likely be a pipedream.

ODI cricket

We still remain reliant on the senior Big 4 of Tamim, Mushy, Shakib, and Riyad. I would like to see Shanto get a long run, and I think he has the talent to be Bangladesh's Babar Azam in Tests and ODIs. I really think it should be the end of the road, and perhaps the BCB feels the same, with Soumya Sarkar and Liton Das, and now is the time to slowly start blooding the 2020 U-19 batch with Towhid Hridoy and Mahmudul Hasan Joy looking the most ready so far. Tanzid Hasan Tamim is an exciting talent IMO, but he tends to get dismissed cheaply all too often. Still young Tamim has hit his maiden first class century, and now averages 37 at a strike rate of 83.

I think Shoriful Islam is fantastic find of a seamer, and I suspect he will soon be joined by his former U-19 new ball partner, Tanzim Hasan Sakib. I would also like to see SLA Rakibul Hasan in the mix sooner rather than later.

T20 cricket

Don't really care about this format, so I won't go into much detail, but unless Bangladesh makes a U-turn, they will struggle mightily in next years world cup.

Overall Conclusion

I think its clear now that Bangladesh are at present not going to become much better than they already are. That is to say, they will likely remain a 8-9th ranked side in Tests, a 6-7th ranked side in ODIs, and 10th ranked side in T20Is. To be an elite team (top 5) in any format, reqiures having a good pace attack, in addition to solid batting lineup. Bangladesh lack the first, and are iffy on the latter. Its not that there isn't pace talent in Bangladesh or that we are a country that can only produce 125-130 kph trundlers. We have probably 7-8 bowlers domestically who can consistently bowl 135-140, and 4 or 5 who can bowl 140+. Its that our climate excludes the types of pitches in which fast bowlers can thrive. Pakistan and many of Indian's pace bowlers come from a wholly different climate which is arid, and hot (Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkwa, and Uttar Pradesh/Delhi) and so even if the pitches are low and slow or devoid of grass, bowlers can reverse the ball. In Bangladesh the weather is too warm for traditional swing (unlike England or New Zealand), but also too humid and wet for reverse (unlike most of Pakistan, and many parts of north-central India).

A second thing is that Bangladesh's cricketing culture is very uni-dimensional in many respects. For example, the idea that off spinners can only bowl to left handed batsmen is pervasive and not something that will go away quickly. There is also an aversion to bowling wrist spin, and so you end up just right and left handed finger spinners - which means there is both a lack in variation in our bowling attack, but also means our batsmen have little clue to face spinners who aren't orthodox turners of the ball.

There are many other problems of course, where the BCB lacks vision, decisiveness, and patience in order to make real changes and create a better cricketing culture across the country. Systemic change is needed, but very unlikely to come any time soon. Thus, Bangladesh will remain a mediocre side for the foreseeable future.

Does Mossadek still look like he can be a great for BD? ANd what do you think about Soumya and Liton lol

[Kriterion_BD]

Does Mossadek still look like he can be a great for BD? ANd what do you think about Soumya and Liton lol

Mosaddek is one of the big tragedies of BD cricket in recent times. A first class average of 55, with 10 hundreds, and 3 double hundreds before his 21st birthday is a great record by Bangladeshi standards. Averages 41 from his 3 Test appearances as well. Yet, he was overlooked time and time again by the BD selectors (this is the worst selection panel we've had). Now I think he is perhaps a case of waiting too long...ie he's starting to go bad. Hasn't hit a first class century in a while - albeit Bangladesh had a 2 year break due to COVID. Maybe he will be the Bangladeshi Fawad Alam, but probably not. No way he was worse than Sabbir Rahman, Mohammad Mithun, Liton Das, or Soumya Sarker who all got selected over him, season after season. May very well be too late for him now.

Soumya, phenomenal talent, but just couldn't consistetly score runs. He is the Ashraful of the current generation. I still think if he can give himself a role, and work hard, he could offer something to the team. Its all about mindset for him.

Liton Das is a hack. Always has been. Sure he might look good driving square or through covers, but come on, at this level everyone looks like fucking Tendulkar at least once or twice in an innings. I think he's done for as far as a white ball player goes, but the BCB will ride him in Tests for another season or so. 5 years too late if you ask me, shoulda dumped him around 2016, and thats being generous.

[slcricfan1]

Does Mossadek still look like he can be a great for BD? ANd what do you think about Soumya and Liton lol

Mosaddek is one of the big tragedies of BD cricket in recent times. A first class average of 55, with 10 hundreds, and 3 double hundreds before his 21st birthday is a great record by Bangladeshi standards. Averages 41 from his 3 Test appearances as well. Yet, he was overlooked time and time again by the BD selectors (this is the worst selection panel we've had). Now I think he is perhaps a case of waiting too long...ie he's starting to go bad. Hasn't hit a first class century in a while - albeit Bangladesh had a 2 year break due to COVID. Maybe he will be the Bangladeshi Fawad Alam, but probably not. No way he was worse than Sabbir Rahman, Mohammad Mithun, Liton Das, or Soumya Sarker who all got selected over him, season after season. May very well be too late for him now.

Soumya, phenomenal talent, but just couldn't consistetly score runs. He is the Ashraful of the current generation. I still think if he can give himself a role, and work hard, he could offer something to the team. Its all about mindset for him.

Liton Das is a hack. Always has been. Sure he might look good driving square or through covers, but come on, at this level everyone looks like fucking Tendulkar at least once or twice in an innings. I think he's done for as far as a white ball player goes, but the BCB will ride him in Tests for another season or so. 5 years too late if you ask me, shoulda dumped him around 2016, and thats being generous.

REally, didnt know Das was rated that badly lol. Where do you think Soumya`s ideal position is? And yeah Mossadek`s domestic stats are ridicilous

[Kriterion_BD]

Yep, PAK series proving the harsh truth that Bangladesh are looking firm favorites to finish last in the WTC 2.

BCB are clueless. Players also need to do their part.

[Rajkumar Sharma]

Problem Bangladesh Cricket is having

1)Havent come out from the era of fav 5 - Mashrafi, Tamim, Musfiq, Shakib, Riyad. With Mortaza retired, Board needs to understand these players wont be available in every series. They are all on high 30s, and they will be very much selective in playing the game to prolong their career. Replacements should be slowly injected and they should spent plenty of time with these great players by playing with them


2) Fav 5's havent been a trend setter in Test Cricket, that affecting the Bangladeshi youth players, they are least interested in playing this format. Haven't seen any one of their star speaking on love for test cricket. Test Cricket culture havent developed in all this 20 years. West Indies loves T20s similarly Bangladesh players have huge love for One Day Cricket

3) Players lack test cricket mentality, goes for every ball they havent learn that in this format team has to be calm and wait for moments to come. Batters & Bowlers are impatient, they cant respect an opponent bowler when he is bowling great spell, simply throws away his wicket.Ebadot, Khaled, Abu Jayed have got all their material but the coaches have failed to make them understand that in test format they have to continue ask question to the batters and beat them, not bowling the easy bowl.

4) Bangladesh Selectors are giving a long go to the players who are in the team for 2/3 years. You cant continue selecting them if they cant perfofm no matter how much less matches they play but the body language simply shows wheather they are long term product or once in a blue moon material. Guys like Pinak, Taibur cant be ignored their perfotmance should have been rewarded


5) Selector's cant be harsh on ex players who were dropped for 4/5 years ago but playing top brand of four day cricket in domestics and are in top in the list of performers. Career was fully destroyed of Shahriar Nafees, Tushar Imran, Abdur Razzaq, Enamul Haque Jnr and now Raqibul & Nayeem where they got dropped from national team and now performing in longest format. Age cant be an issue if young players cant make BD win test matches.


6) When Bangladesh plays odi & BPL they shows to the world bunch of young fast bowlers but as soon as Test arrives, they seems have got nothing. BCB is missing a personality who could teach these players importance of playing the purest fotmat of the game


Soumya, Liton, Sabbir, Nasir, Mosaddek, Mominul, Shadman, Shanto, Saif, Mithun Ali, Shanto, Taskin... 100 or a 5 fier in 1/2 matches and fail for next 15-20 matches....a bunch of inconsistency all over.No matter if you play 8 or 10 games, but you have to show intent and quality on those matches that you belong to this level. Its still the Fizz is only one from this bunch who is consistent

[Kriterion_BD]

At best I can see Bangladesh drawing a couple of Tests at home, and losing the rest away.

The NZ win has given me a lot more confidence! I think we need to keep this core group of players as it is evident that they want to play Tests, want to do well, and as Ebadat displayed, have an ability to "learn" from their mistakes. The dismissive manner in which we beat the reigning world champions leads me to feel that both South Africa and West Indies are beatable if we bring a similar level of intensity over five days. I hope we make a seaming surface vs Sri Lanka at home and heck lets do it vs India at home...you never know what happens. The return of Tamim Iqbal will add more capabilities to our lineup.

Its not that there isn't pace talent in Bangladesh or that we are a country that can only produce 125-130 kph trundlers.

Pleased to see the pace attack come so far along. Really think Otis Gibson has made all the difference because he got through to the bowlers. Guys like Taskin, Ebadat, and Shoriful had obvious talent (all three are above 6 feet tall, all can touch 140 clicks)...they just needed a coach to show them how to bowl in the right areas more consistently and also to swing the ball a bit. Also looks like they have a good grasp of reverse (didn't see any of the NZ seamers get any reverse, but both Taskin and Ebadat reversed it quite nicely). We also look like having good depth with Abu Jayed now the 4th seamer and 1 year ago he was the spearhead of our attack.

[Tinah09]

At best I can see Bangladesh drawing a couple of Tests at home, and losing the rest away.

The NZ win has given me a lot more confidence! I think we need to keep this core group of players as it is evident that they want to play Tests, want to do well, and as Ebadat displayed, have an ability to "learn" from their mistakes. The dismissive manner in which we beat the reigning world champions leads me to feel that both South Africa and West Indies are beatable if we bring a similar level of intensity over five days. I hope we make a seaming surface vs Sri Lanka at home and heck lets do it vs India at home...you never know what happens. The return of Tamim Iqbal will add more capabilities to our lineup.

Its not that there isn't pace talent in Bangladesh or that we are a country that can only produce 125-130 kph trundlers.

Pleased to see the pace attack come so far along. Really think Otis Gibson has made all the difference because he got through to the bowlers. Guys like Taskin, Ebadat, and Shoriful had obvious talent (all three are above 6 feet tall, all can touch 140 clicks)...they just needed a coach to show them how to bowl in the right areas more consistently and also to swing the ball a bit. Also looks like they have a good grasp of reverse (didn't see any of the NZ seamers get any reverse, but both Taskin and Ebadat reversed it quite nicely). We also look like having good depth with Abu Jayed now the 4th seamer and 1 year ago he was the spearhead of our attack.

It seems that Bangladesh are good at training and equipping thier U19 teams as evidenced by their U19 WC win in 2020, plus they have been integrating the cream of their various U19 cohorts into their national team. Is it possible that Zimbabwe’s failure to retain U19 talent is a major driving factor in the widening the gulf between us and them. Does Bangladesh lose any British-passport holding U19 (if they have any) to England club cricket/county/ formerly-kolpac? How many Bangladeshi youth turn their backs on cricket for university (as if one can’t study and pursue pro-sports simultaneously!)?


In short is this rapidly, widening gap between Zim and Bangladesh be because we identify talent, train talent, spotlight the talent on the international stage then inevitably lose talent to low-tier UK clubs/counties and universities… wash, rinse, repeat…going round and round in circles?

[Rajkumar Sharma]

At best I can see Bangladesh drawing a couple of Tests at home, and losing the rest away.

The NZ win has given me a lot more confidence! I think we need to keep this core group of players as it is evident that they want to play Tests, want to do well, and as Ebadat displayed, have an ability to "learn" from their mistakes. The dismissive manner in which we beat the reigning world champions leads me to feel that both South Africa and West Indies are beatable if we bring a similar level of intensity over five days. I hope we make a seaming surface vs Sri Lanka at home and heck lets do it vs India at home...you never know what happens. The return of Tamim Iqbal will add more capabilities to our lineup.

Its not that there isn't pace talent in Bangladesh or that we are a country that can only produce 125-130 kph trundlers.

Pleased to see the pace attack come so far along. Really think Otis Gibson has made all the difference because he got through to the bowlers. Guys like Taskin, Ebadat, and Shoriful had obvious talent (all three are above 6 feet tall, all can touch 140 clicks)...they just needed a coach to show them how to bowl in the right areas more consistently and also to swing the ball a bit. Also looks like they have a good grasp of reverse (didn't see any of the NZ seamers get any reverse, but both Taskin and Ebadat reversed it quite nicely). We also look like having good depth with Abu Jayed now the 4th seamer and 1 year ago he was the spearhead of our attack.

It seems that Bangladesh are good at training and equipping thier U19 teams as evidenced by their U19 WC win in 2020, plus they have been integrating the cream of their various U19 cohorts into their national team. Is it possible that Zimbabwe’s failure to retain U19 talent is a major driving factor in the widening the gulf between us and them. Does Bangladesh lose any British-passport holding U19 (if they have any) to England club cricket/county/ formerly-kolpac? How many Bangladeshi youth turn their backs on cricket for university (as if one can’t study and pursue pro-sports simultaneously!)?


In short is this rapidly, widening gap between Zim and Bangladesh be because we identify talent, train talent, spotlight the talent on the international stage then inevitably lose talent to low-tier UK clubs/counties and universities… wash, rinse, repeat…going round and round in circles?

Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka & Pakistan U19s and domestic talents are now getting offers from USA. A good amount of domestic performers have went away and very soon will be seen in USA jersey in ICC events

[Kriterion_BD]

It seems that Bangladesh are good at training and equipping thier U19 teams as evidenced by their U19 WC win in 2020, plus they have been integrating the cream of their various U19 cohorts into their national team. Is it possible that Zimbabwe’s failure to retain U19 talent is a major driving factor in the widening the gulf between us and them. Does Bangladesh lose any British-passport holding U19 (if they have any) to England club cricket/county/ formerly-kolpac? How many Bangladeshi youth turn their backs on cricket for university (as if one can’t study and pursue pro-sports simultaneously!)?


In short is this rapidly, widening gap between Zim and Bangladesh be because we identify talent, train talent, spotlight the talent on the international stage then inevitably lose talent to low-tier UK clubs/counties and universities… wash, rinse, repeat…going round and round in circles?

Short answer yes. IDK where ZIM would be in the world game if they retained all their talent, but they'd surely be a lot better than they are now.