BAN vs SA : Bangladesh Brace For A New Challenge Without Shakib-Al-Hasan In Test Cricket Against The Dangerous Proteas

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The first Test of Bangladesh’s series against South Africa was to have been Shakib-Al-Hasan‘s grand farewell in this format to a team and their supporters who have leant too heavily on his talent and skill in the course of his 71 Tests, 247 ODIs and 129 T20Is. Shakib-Al-Hasan is set to retire from the international game entirely after the Champions Trophy in Pakistan next February and March.

Bangladesh will look to turn over a new leaf as they square off against South Africa in a two-match Test series, beginning with the first match on Monday, October 21, at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka.

Bangladesh are gearing up to welcome South Africa for an exciting two-match Test series starting this Monday. The opening Test is set to be held in Dhaka, followed by the second match in Chattogram. Both teams view this series as crucial in their quest for a World Test Championship finals spot. Bangladesh sits seventh in the WTC standings, while South Africa currently holds the fifth position. A successful series for either team could significantly enhance their chances of reaching the finals.

BAN vs SA : Previous Performances

Bangladesh will aim for glory as they take on South Africa in a home Test series starting on Monday. The Asian side was in red-hot form as they defeated Pakistan on away soil, earlier this year. Their winning streak was brought to an end by India in their last red-ball cricket series.

Despite troubling the Rohit Sharma-led side in the first innings of the opening Test, Bangladesh players struggled to find consistency as India trampled their way to a 2-0 triumph. Bangladesh will now be looking to redeem themselves by pulling off an upset against South Africa. The upcoming series will also be Shakib Al Hasan’s last Test campaign with Bangladesh. He will be hoping to end his Test career on a winning note.

The opening Test between Bangladesh and South Africa will take place at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on October 21. The Proteas last faced the West Indies in a Test match in August this year. They won the bout 1-0, beating West Indies by 40 runs. South Africa is currently in fourth place in the overall ICC Test rankings. They will be looking to rack up some crucial points against Bangladesh next.

BAN vs SA : Head to Head

Bangladesh are yet to claim a victory against South Africa in Test cricket, having faced them 12 times without a win.

BAN vs SA : Pitch Report

The Shere Bangla track often wears two hats. It offers good bounce and pace early on, with a bit of live grass making the first session of play a tricky one for batters. However, as the match unfolds, it starts slowing down, becoming a playground for the spinners. With the average first-innings score at 328, teams batting first tend to have the upper hand.

Out of 27 matches played at this venue, 13 have been won by teams batting first, while 11 victories have gone to teams batting second. The toss will be crucial, and the captain calling it right will likely choose to bat first to make hay in the first two days. The ICC rated the Dhaka pitch unsatisfactory in its previous Test in December last year, and it remains to be seen if the curator Gamini Silva has put in the work in the last ten months. There’s some rain in the forecast from the third day.

The skies in Dhaka will be generally clear on Monday, October 21. The chances of rainfall remain low at seven per cent. The temperatures will hover around 32 degrees Celsius during the day and around 24 degrees Celsius at night. The humidity levels will range between 69 to 86 per cent. Winds will blow at speeds of six to 10 km/h.

The average first innings score at the Shere Bangla National Stadium is 328. The team batting first in this Test will strive to reach that mark. The third and fourth innings will be the most difficult period to bat here.

The pitch at the Shere Bangla National Stadium is likely to heavily favor spin. The ball is expected to stay low and start turning from the first day itself. As the match goes on, the spin will become more pronounced, and batting will become even more difficult. Both teams will be looking to make a big score in their first innings to keep themselves in a comfortable position. Seamers won’t get much help here, apart from when the ball is new.

Spin, spin, spin and more spin. Let’s hope the pitch is better than the surface prepared for the most recent Test at the ground, against New Zealand in December 2023. The match was over in 177.1 overs with spinners taking all but five of the 35 wickets that fell to bowlers. The ICC handed down an “unsatisfactory” rating because of chronically inconsistent bounce from the outset.

The weather in Dhaka for the match will be mostly cloudy for most of the five days. There are chances of a few showers on the first day of the Test, which might delay the start.

BAN vs SA : Big Picture : A new era for Bangladesh post Shakib Al Hasan

Instead of a legend’s goodbye, the Dhaka Test will now be Bangladesh’s first Test in the post-Shakib Al Hasan era, after the government advised Shakib Al Hasan not to come to the country, due to security reasons. Bangladesh are also dealing with a change of head coach, as the BCB has sacked Chandika Hathurusinghe and swiftly appointed Phil Simmons.

South Africa, meanwhile, are quietly preparing for their first Test in Bangladesh in nine years. To counter their lack of experience in Bangladesh, the visitors are reportedly spending long hours in the nets at the Shere Bangla National Stadium.

Temba Bavuma and Kagiso Rabada are the only survivors from their last tour of Bangladesh, when rain forced both Tests to be drawn. Bavuma will miss the first Test due to an elbow injury, which means Aiden Markram leads the side. South Africa are likely to have at least one debutant in their top four to replace Bavuma. The T20 star Dewald Brevis could be the one stepping up.

South Africa’s batting will largely depend on Markram and his opening partner Tony de Zorzi, while David Bedingham and Tristan Stubbs have to handle the middle order. The experienced Keshav Maharaj leads the bowling attack, while Rabada could be required to do mostly holding jobs if the Dhaka pitch’s last rating is anything to go by.

New Zealand captain Tim Southee called it “probably the worst pitch” he had ever seen, after the spinners completely dominated proceedings last December.

Bangladesh already have three frontline spinners, before adding left-arm spinner Hasan Murad in place of Shakib Al Hasan. At least three are likely to feature in Dhaka, which could leave them with the dilemma whether to play four or five bowlers. There is no obvious replacement for Shakib Al Hasan of course, but Bangladesh will be hoping they can settle on a balanced XI soon.

BAN vs SA : In the spotlight: Hasan Mahmud and David Bedingham

Hasan Mahmud has made a promising start to his Test career. The slim medium-pacer bowls a mean line and length on a dime outside offstump. Debuting earlier this year, Mahmud has already taken five-wicket hauls in Pakistan and India. His 20 wickets in five Tests is easily the best start by a Bangladesh fast bowler. A home Test is always a challenge, particularly at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, but Mahmud’s discipline will come in handy.
Fresh off a strong county season for Durham, David Bedingham has a new challenge in front of him: playing in the sub-continent for the first time. That means the stylish middle-order batter will be up against skillful spinners. It could be an important tour for the 30-year-old who has only six Tests under his belt.

BAN vs SA : Vital Stats that matters

  • Bangladesh are yet to beat South Africa and India in Tests.
  • South Africa have lost 10 of their last 13 Tests in the sub-continent, drawing the other three.
  • Temba Bavuma and Kagiso Rabada are the only survivors from South Africa’s last tour of Bangladesh.
  • All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan is unavailable for Bangladesh for the first Test. For South Africa, regular skipper Temba Bavuma will miss out due to injury.
  • Keshav Maharaj’s performance will be key for South Africa’s success in this match.
  • The highest run chase achieved at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Test cricket is 209 by England versus Bangladesh back in 2010.

BAN vs SA : Team News

Bangladesh

Bangladesh’s Test journey this year has been a mixed bag. They reached cloud nine earlier with a dominant 2-0 series win over Pakistan away from home. However, their winning streak came to an abrupt halt when India handed them a 2-0 whitewash recently. With the home crowd rallying behind them, the Tigers will be keen to bounce back and roar once again.

The contest marks a significant chapter in Bangladesh cricket, as it will be their first Test series in the post-Shakib Al Hasan era. The talismanic all-rounder has been advised by the government to stay away from the country due to security concerns, leaving Bangladesh to find a way forward without their kingpin.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) also made a swift change at the helm, showing Chandika Hathurusingha the door and bringing in Phil Simmons as the new head coach. Simmons faces an uphill battle as he tries to build a winning combination from scratch, especially with the massive void left by Shakib’s absence.

The hosts have already called up Hasan Murad, a left-arm spinner, to fill in for Shakib Al Hasan. With three frontline spinners already in the squad, there’s a chance Bangladesh could field four tweakers, leaving them with a conundrum over whether to play four or five bowlers. It’s not an easy balancing act, but the team hopes they can come up with a formula that clicks.

Bangladesh Predicted XI : Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed

South Africa

Meanwhile, South Africa are preparing for their first Test in Bangladesh in nearly a decade. They last played here in 2015 when rain had the final say in both Tests, ending them in draws.

The Proteas, led by Aiden Markram, will be without Temba Bavuma, who is ruled out of the first Test with an elbow injury. Markram, along with Tony de Zorzi, will have to shoulder much of the batting burden, while youngsters David Bedingham and Tristan Stubbs will look to rise to the occasion in the middle order. The Proteas’ bowling attack, spearheaded by Keshav Maharaj and supported by Kagiso Rabada, will be key to their success.

Rabada might be required to play a holding role, given the history of the Dhaka pitch, which has been known to turn into a spinner’s paradise as the match progresses. The Proteas will look to start the series on a winning note.

South Africa Predicted XI : Aiden Markram (capt), Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Dewald Brevis , Kyle Verreynne, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Dane Piedt

BAN vs SA Fantasy XI : Najmul Hossain Shanto, David Bedingham, Tristan Stubbs, Aiden Markram, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Wiaan Mulder, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Taskin Ahmed, Litton Das, Kyle Verreynne

BAN vs SA : Match Prediction

Considering their recent form and familiarity with conditions, Bangladesh are favourites to win this clash. Despite that crushing loss against India recently, Bangladesh have improved in Test cricket in recent years. They defeated Pakistan on their home turf and have developed a good set of bowlers for all conditions. Playing at home gives the Bangla Tigers an advantage, especially with a pitch likely to heavily favor spin. Their skilled spinners can effectively exploit this to apply constant pressure on South Africa’s batting lineup.

The Proteas, missing their usual captain Bavuma, appear to lack experience in their batting order, as most of their players are unaccustomed to slow, spin-friendly pitches, which could lead to difficulties. Additionally, the bowling attack seems overly dependent on Maharaj and Rabada. Unless their batters step up their game significantly, Bangladesh will likely dominate this match. Everyone are backing the home side Bangladesh to clinch a historic maiden Test win against South Africa.

Also Read: IND vs ENG: “Side Arm Specialists In India Need To Work Hard To Prepare Batters For Tough Times”- Abhishek Jain Gives His Invaluable Insights

 

 

 


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