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BSP-12
CRICKET-TIGERS-TEST
Tigers shift focus to Test series against India
INDORE, Nov 12, 2019 (BSS)- Bangladesh shifted their focus to the two-
match Test series against India following a disappointing outing in T20
series in which they squandered a golden chance to beat the hosts, despite
dominating most of the part of the series-deciding third match.
The first Test, starting in Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore from November
14, will be their first match in the World Test Championship game.
Bangladesh is set to give a stern Test in the first match as playing in
India was one of the toughest job for any team in the world. The hosts have
recently whitewashed South Africa in three-match series, including an innings
margin victory in the last two Tests.
While the visitors earlier were scared about how to deal with the
spinners, in recent years, the rise of the Indian pacers was astonishing. In
fact India’s pacers got more wickets, be it at home or abroad, than the
spinners in the last two years and now considered as one of the most
formidable pace attack in the cricket’s history.
The fact that India’s bowling is their weakest link is now the distant
past. Their batting was always their strongest link and it remains so with
the likes of Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane continuing to
demolish any bowling attack in the world. And add Rohit Sharma, who seemed to
have found his mojo in Test cricket. Rohit’s Test average at home, however,
is more than the average of the greatest batsman of the cricket history Don
Bradman.
Apparently this Indian side who remains unbeaten in World Test
Championship so far has no weak link. Bangladesh seemed to have practical
with this fact as they focused on their strong link rather than searching
India’s weakness.
“We are focusing on our strong link rather than searching India’s weak
link. We know no teams in the world can do survive easily in India’s soil.
But, we are trying as to how we can do well here,” said Bangladesh middle
order batsman Mohammad Mithun.
In the last Test series in India, South Africa’s bowlers took just 25
Indian wickets in three Test matches, India’s bowlers grabbed all the
available 60 South African wickets. That was the testament of India’s batting
and bowling strength.
As a batsman Mithun know how tough it would be to deal with the India’s
bowlers. Therefore keeping aside those fear factor, Mithun stresses on
working hard to play well in India.
“There is no way that you can take any of their five bowlers lightly. All
of them are champion bowlers. So you will be wrong if you think that I will
target one or two bowlers and play others with caution. If we want to do
well, we have to take all those five bowlers seriously,” Mithun added.
However, amid all difficulties, Mithun believes there will be hope still
if they can be disciplined in their job.
“Any batsman of the world can get out if you can create pressure. If we
can be disciplined as a bowling unit, I believe, anything is possible.”
“Test cricket is all about playing session by session. Our focus should be
to do well and win every session. If we can win more session than them,
anything is possible.”
“If we look back, no one gave it a thought that we would win a T20 match,
that too on India soil. But we have belief on our ability. Whatever the
situation is, every time we get down the field, we try to win the match.
Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn’t happen. We are disappointed that
we lost the last T20 match despite coming close. We still are disappointed
but now our full concentration on Test series,” Mithun concluded.
BSS/SMP/SSS/1816 hrs