Will Bangladesh stick to the same ploy they employed against England in the home series against last year regarding the pitch when they take on Australia in Chittagong and Dhaka?
That is the impression one may get if the words of some of the Bangladesh cricketers currently engaged in a fitness camp. Opener Imrul Kayes is anticipating the sort of turning pitches seen during the England series after off-spinner and the hero of the last Bangladesh-England series Mehedi Hasan spoke in favour of it. And apparently they were looking back to that series, where Tigers won the second Test at Mirpur to go level, to take inspiration ahead of their home challenge against Australia next month.
“I believe that we are equally good in one-dayers and Tests at home. We played against England in tough conditions and we got the result. I think conditions will be the same against Australia. We are mentally preparing for the challenge,” said Imrul while talking to reporters at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday.
Bangladesh competed admirably on such a surface against England where pitches started turning quite early. They came within 23 runs of victory in the first Test in Chittagong before taking all 10 wickets in a single session to level the series in Mirpur with magical bowling from Mehedi.
While the surface assisted spinners heavily, it also posed a big challenge to the Bangladesh batsmen. The home side however was up to the task, especially Tamim Iqbal, who was outstanding. On the other hand Imrul was a bit aggressive and it was his 120-ball 78 in the second innings of the second Test at Mirpur that helped set a target beyond England’s reach to help the Tigers complete a historic 108-run win.
There is nothing wrong if the players sing praises of that kind of surface as they have the confidence that their batsman can handle it and given Australia’s reputation of struggling in the subcontinent.
Like his other colleagues the left-hander however was emphasized on the importance of the ongoing fitness camp as he believes that one can play good cricket for at least one or two years if he can attend this kind of camp. “Of course I am enjoying the fitness camp. We get this kind of opportunity once in a year. Everybody is serious here and personally I am also very serious [about it].”
