Follow UsAt the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Bangladesh chased history and eventually got there with a monumental 546-run mauling of Afghanistan in the one-off Test. While it wasn’t the traditional pitches that you would come of expectation in Bangladesh, with steady help for the spinners.
The duo of Shoriful Islam and Taskin Ahmed ran riots across both innings, with five and four wickets, respectively. That was a noticeable change during their win, something that stand-in skipper Litton Das too paid attention to. Das also insisted that the pace unit has improved immensely and that’s visible by how they are bowling with utmost control, something that was previously missing.
"I think our pace unit is improving day by day. If you look at the pitch map you will know many things. Before our bowlers were not so matured apart from one or two who could bowl in the right area consistently. Now we are bowling without a man at cover or point and not only this wicket but on flat wickets too because we know our bowlers have developed a lot,” Litton said in the aftermath of the monumental win.
"Today the team that played was the best (Test) team of Bangladesh and everyone fulfilled their responsibility. Certainly you won't be able to get such a margin (of victory) and for that we must credit the batsmen because the wicket was not an easy one. To be honest our bowlers also bowled really well as they maintained their line and length. This is a big achievement in Test cricket and you cannot ask for more after such a kind of win," he said.
But it wasn’t just that, the Tigers were also without two of their most experienced players in their cricketing history - Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal - and they never felt the absence of the two, with the way others chipped in. Das threw light on the same, stating that the team had the belief that they could win without the two, and pointed their win against New Zealand as a prime example.
"There is no change (playing without Shakib and Tamim). The win against New Zealand was the same. Neither Tamim bhai nor Shakib bhai played in that game. We were a young team and we won playing abroad. When we won outside we have the belief that we can get results if we work hard and now we are desperate when there will be Tests," Litton added.
Das saw this as a precious opportunity for the youngsters to take things into their own hands and reckoned that this will keep the team in good hands, as they won’t depend solely on the veterans.
"Ultimately after two-three years you won't get three to four seniors and if we cannot handle it now (playing without them) in that case it will be difficult if it (retirement) comes all of a sudden. If they had played, it would have been good but it is not a fact that we cannot make a comeback without them. In the pipeline and in the batting order we are improving and the new guys are capable.
When asked about the conditions on offer, all he had to say was that the team would take ‘benefits’ of different kinds depending on the opposition and their squad composition.
"When you enter a championship where you need to win, you can take benefits of different kinds. Still we will want to play on good wickets so that both sides are there, so that it doesn't become that spin will only dominate or vice versa. Look at this wicket, there was help for the spinners here as well and in future it will be decided (taking opposition into consideration)," he said.