Tall pacers need of the hour
Sports Reporter
The pace bowlers lackluster performance in the seam-friendly condition in West Indies forced head coach Steve Rhodes to impose pressure on BCB find out some well-built, tall bowlers who could generate some pace at least. But the situation is completely different.
At the moment there is no pacer in the pipeline who could be as the type of bowler as Rhodes asked.
In West Indies tour, Rhodes for whom the series was first assignment as the countrys head coach, liked Abu Jayed Rahi for his skillful using of seam and the ability to bowl in a long spell. But apart from Rahi he couldnt single out anyones name who could be useful component in longer version format.
It was particularly disappointing for a nation who has a fast bowling coach like Courtney Walsh, a legend of the game. But the question rose whether the bowlers were able to execute lessons given by him and improve their skill. No one from team management or inside the BCB is yet to point finger on Walsh, specially for his dedication towards work and willingness to make the bowlers competent.
The team management instead blamed pace bowlers work ethics and their lifestyle. Bangladesh even have the bowling coach like Champaka Ramanayeke who worked with the Bangladeshi bowlers earlier in his first stint. But there was no visible progress.
While there was no improvement, the bowlers at the same time remain injury-prone and proved that they were not fit enough to play at least five Test matches at a stretch.
After Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, Bangladesh saw a quality fast bowler in Mustafizur Rahman who could thrive in Test cricket. Unfortunately he proved him injury-prone and if BCB president Nazmul Hassan Papons version is taken into consideration, he is also reluctant to play Test cricket.
Taskin Ahmed was another pacer who could generate huge pace but he also remain injury-prone. He was sent to Ireland with Bangladesh A team to keep him in the game but he was back in the country with injury.
As Bangladesh will play next two Test series at home where they are expected to prepare a rank-turner, they will not feel for a fast bowler but cricket experts said they should not forget about preparing some quality fast bowlers in the meantime since Bangladesh will play most of the Test matches in abroad in the next year.
Cricket experts however saw managements problem to rotate the pace bowlers well at the same time while they question bowlers work ethics.
There is someone like Robiul Islam who bowled in a long spell in Zimbabwe and was adjudged man of the series. He then lost and there is no news of him. I dont know whether we were sincere enough to keep a pace bowler under the scanner always, said former Bangladesh skipper Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu.
Like Ashraf, also the former board director, Sarwar Imran, the coach of Bangladeshs inaugural Test pointed out the fact whether the pacers were monitored and guided well.
We see many pacers coming and going due to the lack of monitoring and guidance, which hurt our cricket really. This shouldnt be the case. Apart from proper nursing, you cant make any fast bowlers overnight, Imran, also a former fast bowler said.
He however stressed upon the requirements of setting up a fast bowling clinic to groom up the pace bowlers.
