After beating Afghanistan in Dharamsala, Bangladesh have tasted defeats in their last three encounters vs India, New Zealand and England respectively, and would now need a special effort to turn their dismal campaign around. For supporters, fans and former players, it’s disappointing to see the side, which has been around the circuit for a long time now, struggling to even punch their weight.
Former Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful echoed similar sentiments in a chat on sidelines of his commentary stint for India vs Bangladesh contest in Pune and asserted it all went down south for the team three months before the World Cup. Before that, Tamil Iqbal’s injury to be precise, he was expecting nothing less than a semi-final berth from the side.
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“Everything was on track three months before the World Cup. Even the team looked good, especially ODI cricket. Suddenly our regular captain Tamim Iqbal got injured and now the team is in the rebuilding phase. Yes, Shakib has taken over captaincy now and is doing good but our team was in a much better shape three months ago. We were hoping then that this team can well play the semi-final of the World Cup. In the ongoing World Cup, performance hasn’t lived up to the expectations everyone had,” says Ashraful.
Touching on the Tamim Iqbal episode, which certainly left a sour taste in the mouth of many, Ashraful adds that it could have been handled better and gave the example of how New Zealand “carried” Kane Williamson.
“Definitely. Look at Kane Williamson. He was injured in the IPL but New Zealand still carried him, made him play practice games. We could have handled Tamim Iqbal episode differently. One player who has played international cricket for 17 years…. you can’t treat him like that. It’s not good.,” says Ashraful, Tamim’s long-time partner at top of the order.
In the last few years, Bangladesh have done well in the junior circuit – U-19 and Emerging level – but seamless transitions to the senior team haven’t happened. Except a handful of names, not many have made it to the next level and the dependence of the team on likes of Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah continues. Ashraful feels performance and performers should be given importance over talent.
“When I started, around that time only we got Test status. I did well, scored hundred on debut but after 23 years of playing Test cricket, we should have improved more. There is talent, no doubt. Tanzid Tamim the opener is really talented, hits the ball well but in present scenario talent can’t be everything. Performance and performers should be key. When I started, our role models were players like Bulbul bhai, Akram bhai but for current crop role models are players like Shakib, Tamim, Rahim, Mahmudullah,” says Ashraful.
On fewer players making it to the next level, Ashraful patiently explains the “problem”.
“When you play well in U19 level, you have to go through U21, U23, A team. That is how it should be. (In Bangladesh), they take you to international cricket directly. That is the problem. One or two players you can bring, the ones who are very talented, but every time you can’t do it. That is what is happening,” says Ashraful.
The former cricketer, who continues to play First Class cricket and represents a local club in England too, further explains how the selection policy back home needs a complete overhaul and right players must be picked for the right format.
“Our policy is not good in my opinion. Policy means, we have talent. But you can’t just see the talent and pick for international cricket, you need performers. Those who perform well, and have talent, you have to see both. A player is talented but if he is not performing and you are thrusting him into international cricket then he would fail, right? The processing is wrong. Soumya Sarkar, when he made his Test debut in 2015, he did not have a FC hundred. After 15 years, we are playing Test cricket, you debut one batter who has never scored a hundred in FC cricket. He plays well in ODIs and we put him in Tests. That’s the main problem,” asserts Ashraful.
Still a long way to go in the World Cup but Bangladesh would need some consistency in the middle to get back to the level they were three months before the World Cup.
For Ashraful, it would be business as usual from the commentary box and then restaurant duties in Dhaka where he has been running a food joint with his friends since 2011.
“Chinese is our speciality,” he chuckles before easing into the box.
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