When will Bangladesh mature in Test cricket?

Bangladesh is playing a two-match ‘home’ Test cricket series against New Zealand. As expected, Bangladesh is relying on its spinners to gain success. The curators at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong have tried to make a turning track. On the first day of the Test match, ball kept low and had an occasional sharp turn. It seems that by the third day in this Test match, cracks may start to widen up which will make batting difficult on this track.

Has Bangladesh’s strategy worked? I think it was an instant ‘No’ when Bangladeshi skipper Mushfiqur Rahim lost the toss at the start of the Test match. New Zealand’s captain Brendon McCullum had no hesitation in having first use of the wicket which is likely to crumble on fourth and fifth day. By that time, Bangladesh would already be in the losing position. Was it a good plan to make a fifty-fifty chance strategy that solely depended on toss? 

Bangladesh has not produced good fast bowlers. Bangladesh played its first ever Test match in November 2000 and have played 80 Tests since then. No Bangladeshi pace bowler has reached 100 wickets milestone in Test cricket. The highest total tally of wickets in Test cricket for Bangladesh is only 78 by Mushrafe Murtaza in 36 Test matches at a very high price of 41.52 runs per wicket. Only two bowlers – Shakib Al Hasan and Mohammad Rafique – have completed 100 wickets in Test cricket and both are slow left-arm orthodox bowlers.

Out of 79 Test matches prior to the current Test being played at Chittagong, Bangladesh have won only 4 Tests (5%) and could draw just another 8 (10%). They lost rest of 67 Test matches. Bangladesh has lost 85% of its matches so far. These are the worst success statistics for any country including Zimbabwe. Even Zimbabwe has won 11 Test matches out of 93 they have played so far having winning percentage of 11.82 which is more than two times that of Bangladesh. 

Bangladesh has 100% losing record against almost every good team. Bangladesh have played 8 Test matches each against England, Pakistan and South Africa and lost all of them while their record against Australia is also similar by losing all 4 Test matches they have played against Australia. Bangladesh has managed to draw one Test each against India, Sri Lanka and New Zealand out of 8, 14 and 9 Tests respectively. 

Bangladesh’s four Test matches win are against Zimbabwe and West Indies – two apiece. Their two wins against West Indies were in the same series in 2009 when whole regular West Indian team refused to play due to differences with the Board and a weak second string took the field. 

The basic reason of Bangladesh’s failures in Test cricket is lack of a good pace attack which can provide early breakthroughs. Ordinary pace bowling allows opponent teams to settle well when spinners come on to bowl. Even Zimbabwe has fast bowlers who can give them occasional wins. In Zimbabwe’s last Test match against Pakistan last month, pace bowlers ran through Pakistan’s both innings to give them historic win.

India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Australia, England and West Indies have produced great spin bowlers who have won Test matches regularly for their respective countries, but they only got success when fast bowlers provided them early breakthroughs. Shane Warne tore apart many opposition teams when Glenn McGrath had already put opposition in immense pressure. Abdul Qadir or Mushtaq Ahmed and Saqlain Mushtaq took lot of wickets and won matches for Pakistan when Imran Khan, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis had already set the stage for their guile. Same was in case of Anil Kumble who penetrated well after Srinath and Prasad have taken early wickets. 

In the current Test match against New Zealand, Bangladesh has tried to trap New Zealand with spinners. This plan could not work due to lack of good pace attack as New Zealand had scored 244 runs before third wicket fell. Spinners did take wickets afterwards but it was already too late. Bangladesh can only win Test matches if they can find a good pair of fast bowlers. Until then, they are likely to maintain near 100% losing record!