jaybro wrote: ↑Sun Sep 15, 2019 5:46 am
My thoughts with Bangladesh is that they’re better suited to ODI cricket compared to Test cricket because they don’t have any players who you’d put in the top bracket of players. Yes Mushy, Shakib & Tamin are world class players, but they’re not in the same boat as Smith, Kohli & Williamson and probably not even in the next bracket too be fair. Yes they’re good players but they’re not consistent enough.
Same with their bowlers, as I’ve said their seamers are shite & their spinners are decent but mainly rely on favourable home decks. Now compared to Afghanistan who have Rashid Khan who is undoubtedly world class, he’s able to take wickets on any deck and is even more formidable on a tiring sub continent pitch.
Winning the toss and batting is always a huge advantage, even more so in Asia and even more so again when you have Rashid in your side. Once they put a good first innings total on the board it was always going to be tough for Bangladesh to win, then when they capitulated in their 1st innings the match was done & dusted.
All of that is pretty much true.
For Bangladesh, their goal should be to be as good as Pakistan given the similarities the two countries share (population size, economics and finances). Pakistan has recently restructured their entire domestic system, the BCB should heavily consider something like that. The current system is not really efficient. Any talent that comes up (Mosaddek, Nayeem, Afif) is there simply due to the law of averages, with hundreds of thousands of players in the country, a handful will eventually become quite decent players.
The realistic best goal for BD is to be a 5th or 6th ranked side regardless of the format. They simply don't have the talent, management, or good governance to rise beyond that, and thats OK. India has only been a certain top 3/4 side in the last 15-20 years, and that happened with lots of money, and strong governance by the BCCI. Teams like Pakistan and Bangladesh have neither of those, at least not to India's extent.
Batsmen like Steve Smith (Tests) and Virat Kohli (ODIs, so long as it isn't a knockout match) can't be produced. They are simply born like Tendulkar, Lara, etc. But I do believe any nation can produce batsmen of the calibre of Kane Williamson or Joe Root. They are 1/3 God-given talent, 1/3 self discipline and relentless work ethic, and 1/3 good management by their cricket boards. All the Asian sides, barring India are almost certain to be lacking the last bit to varying degrees.
Afghanistan will beat a lot of sides in Tests batting first as long as Rashid is there, and sadly for Bangladesh they don’t have a bowler like him.
Bangladesh being a limited Test side, should have made an absolute flat wicket. Afghanistan would have been bundled out for 350 and 250 even on a highway (we can assume this because Afghanistan were bowled for 342 and 260 in conditions where none of the BD spinners got much turn, barring Nayeem who got turn and bounce (still not extravagant), but was underbowled). On the other hand, the Afghan wristspinners got a lot more from the wicket, which is obvious because the BD spinners are all finger spinners. You cannot assume you will win the toss and bat first as your strategy.
The same thing happened in Sylhet vs ZIM. BD has to assume the toss can be lost, and you have to back your strength to bat in conditions where the ball does nothing.