Bangladesh Test side suffered a big setback as skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto join the injury list, besides senior man Mushfiqur Rahim, who was declared unfit for both the Tests that Bangladesh will play against the West Indies. Shanto suffered a groin injury during the second ODI against Afghanistan in Sharjah which forced him to leave the field midway through the game. Another casualty of the injury was to miss out on the all-important final match of the series in its third ODI. All this further deepens serious concerns over the depth of Bangladesh squads as they head to another testing Caribbean tour.
However, without Shanto, with neither of Mushfiqur available, Bangladesh will be terribly burdened by the question of its Test cricket leadership and batting depth necessary for any Test cricket assignment abroad.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz is announced Bangladesh captain for the Test Series. Miraz, who led the team in the third ODI against Afghanistan, is quite promising and competent in his leadership. Mehidy has been known for his endurance and cleverness. The experience is one such valuable asset he brings to a team that is bereft of two of its key senior players. His all-round skills will play a great role in balancing both batting and bowling responsibilities. A plus of Mehidy would be in taking up the challenge to exercise his captaincy skills and possibly give some direction and hope for a positive direction of Bangladesh cricket.
Missing: Najmul Hossain Shanto – his presence sorely felt in Tests; he has established the vital slot for himself in Test lineups for Bangladesh. Shanto has been one of the top-order batsmen who has shown very good technique and temperament to contribute significantly to the team’s stability and often lay a foundation for middle-order players. Without him, Bangladesh will have to rethink their strategy and structure for the top order. This change may be in the form of pushing younger or less experienced players into the fray, which may affect consistency. Names Zakir Hasan and Mahmudul Hasan Joy can go as since they have a domestic record and can rise up with their international level performance.
This situation exacerbates challenges with the absence of Mushfiqur Rahim, as he’s been a bedrock of reliability and run-contributing middle-order stabiliser. The side would miss sources of strength and resilience within the collective squad when such vast experience in tricky conditions is absent, particularly in foreign scenarios of high-pressure situations like Caribbean games, where Bangladesh will face some different pitch conditions with considerable pace and bounce.
It will be a purely tactical decision by the selectors to balance out this line up as they may choose some experienced players or young talent to fill in these gaps. Under the West Indian aggressive bowling and home advantage, Bangladesh’s relatively younger side will need to come in quickly to the conditions and step up for the challenge.
The appointment of Mehidy Hasan Miraz as captain will be an exciting opportunity for him to put stamps on his tenure. He, with his experience and knowledge as a spin-bowling all-rounder and his leadership skills, will be crucial in guiding a young team. Miraz’s role is likely to be motivating the squad, coming up with a plan against West Indies’s potent pace attack, and to some extent making decisions that play to the strengths of Bangladesh.
Such a series would be more of a test for Bangladesh’s depth and adaptability. It would also be a great opportunity for some of the young players to get exposure and show off their skills on the international platform. Even after the failure, Bangladesh can regard this series as a chance to become resilient and build up its competitive edge for tours in the future. The series provides the team with the opportunity to redefine their approach in the absence of the regular players under the leadership of Mehidy.
