Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto has vehemently backed his fast bowlers to give Australia a tough time in the Two-Test series August 13 in Darwin. For the record, Bangladesh will be without their key bowler Nahid Rana due to injury, but Najmul Hossain Shanto believes the rest of the attack can take 20 wickets.
I think we have bowlers to take 20 wickets- Najmul Hossain Shanto
Speaking to reporters, Najmul Hossain Shanto said, “I have full faith in the team bound for Australia. I believe we can play good cricket. I think there’s really no point in talking about what might have been. Injuries aren’t really avoidable in this day and age. I think we have the bowlers to take 20 wickets, especially in Australian conditions. We have two experienced spinners who can complement the fast bowlers. We have a capable pace attack. Everyone except Musfik Hasan is experienced. They have to give their best to take 20 wickets,”
It will be Bangladesh’s first Test tour of Australia in 23 years, meaning several of the greatest cricketers, including Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan have never played a Test there. Shanto said the current group was lucky to play in Australia, but he hopes they earn more Tests there in the future.
Najmul Hossain Shanto said, “I think we are very lucky to play Tests in Australia. We should have played more matches there in the last 23 years, although we haven’t done that well in the format. So now that we are going to Australia, I hope that we play good cricket and earn the respect. I am hopeful our competitive nature will earn us another invitation there. It is important that we can play good cricket, try to win, and give them a hard time.”
Shanto also welcomed Australia’s decision to field a full-strength squad, including their frontline fast bowlers, seeing it as a sign of respect Bangladesh have earned.
He remarked, “I personally liked the fact that they have chosen their full-strength team. They are not taking us lightly. I think our team has earned this respect. The more we improve our overall cricket, the more opponents will take us seriously,”
He added, “I think it is a great opportunity for our batters to do well against such a bowling attack. I can see that the batters are quite excited to face the Australia attack. More importantly than making an early score prediction, I want to see whether we are enjoying and handling the challenge properly. We only get to see such a bowling attack on TV, so I am really excited to face them,”
Najmul Hossain’s thoughts on openers and top order
While the tour is another milestone for Bangladesh’s increasingly potent pace attack, there are questions over the top order. Chief selector Habibul Bashar said earlier this week that recalling Soumya Sarkar was due to a lack of alternatives which highlighted the team’s long search for stability at the top.
Najmul Hossain Shanto said, “I think we end up talking a lot about our openers since they haven’t been very consistent. We have to understand that it is a tough position to bat. It is always challenging. They have to play in conditions with a lot of moisture; sometimes they have to bat the last five overs of the day. It is important to enjoy those situations. It is also key to find out how they are preparing themselves. I can see that they are trying hard. I believe that if we improve in this area, we can take a step further as a Test team,”
Bangladesh leave for Australia on Friday ahead of the two Tests in Darwin and Mackay, with a practice match in Darwin scheduled before the opening Test. Shanto said the aim was to build on the progress the side has made in the format over the past two years. Bangladesh is currently fourth on the World Test Championship table, after their 2-0 win over Pakistan earlier this year.
He said, “We will try to follow the way we have been playing Test cricket in the last few years. We want to adapt to the conditions quickly. Our Test team is in good shape. Our main goal would be to take the team forward, not backward, from this point. We are always looking to improve our team,”
It remains to be seen how Bangladesh performs in this 2-test series starting on August 13th in Darwin and whether they push Australia hard.
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