Testing times for Bangladesh

Time to pay attention to longer version

The ultimate goal for a cricketer is to play Test cricket. Bangladesh cricketers are lagging behind in the longer version. The Independent Sport has made an attempt to assess all the pros and cons so as to find out improvements in Test cricket in a three-part series report. Following is the second instalment.

Part II

First class cricket is prelude to attaining the Test cap. This statement is true for other teams, but it does not matter in the case of Bangladesh.
Before giving a Test cap, selectors in Australia and England go through the performance of the particular player in Sheffield Shield or County Cricket. The Indian selectors emphasize on players’ performance in Ranji Trophy. Experience in first class cricket matters when a player comes under the selection radar.
But in Bangladesh, it is different. A player’s performance in the Dhaka Premier League (DPL), a 50-over affair, mostly matters in Test selection, when the NCL should have been the criterion for his selection in cricket’s elite format. It is one the reasons why Bangladesh has not been able to achieve considerable success in Test cricket. The scenario, however, changed after 2010 when the NCL and BCL were made competitive. But the core players of Bangladesh in Test cricket—Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah Riyad---  were not products of first class cricket. They came from an age group level and none of them played even 10 first class matches before their Test debut. Because of their extraordinary talent, they thrived in Test cricket, much to the relief of Bangladesh cricket. When they thrived, most of their contemporary cricketers were simply forgotten.
“You can’t expect all of them to be talented like Shakib and Tamim. We suffered in Test cricket because we haven’t had any proper goal before 2010. We’re fortunate that our age level group was strong and that’s why we got some players who are now leading Bangladesh cricket. They came after 2006 and once they matured, they helped Bangladesh get a strong foothold. At the same time, we can’t claim that we got considerable amount of cricketers from the district level. There is the National Cricket Championship (NCC). Sixty-four districts participate in it, but I don’t think we’ve got enough players from there,” said Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu.
Hossain feels regional cricket associations should be strengthened to make district associations competitive.
“The remuneration was increased, but the result wasn’t satisfactory. We were talking about regional cricket associations even before we got the Test status, but still we’ve not been able to form them. Everybody knows, if we can’t form regional cricket associations, we can’t expect cricketers to come up from the district level. As we don’t get cricketers from there, we’ve to rely on our academy and age group, and that’s what we’re doing. If there are regional cricket associations and if they get the power, they can arrange longer-version cricket tournament for all age groups in their district. Only then will we have new talent coming up,” he added.
After the committee led by Nazmul Hassan Papon took over, it too emphasized forming regional cricket associations as soon as possible. Papon said they have already started working in this regard, but so far nothing has materialised.
An insider said there should be enough educated manpower if cricket has to be decentralised, but most district associations do not have that manpower.
“They can’t run cricket in the districts. We’ve given enough money to the DSAs, but what have they done? Most of the DSAs have not been able to show any success. Success means nurturing cricketers and creating new talent, but they just keep wasting money. So how can you rely on them? It’ll be tough to decentralise cricket, even though it’s a popular demand,” said a BCB source.
Hossain said it is imperative to set up academies in major cities of the country, on the lines of the one in Dhaka, to churn out cricketing talent.
“The academy at Mirpur alone has been providing players at the moment. Such academies with good facilities should be set up in big cities. There is a lot of talent in remote areas. These boys just cannot make it to Dhaka as they do not have enough money,” he added.
The board started the longer version of cricket at the under-19 level after realising that it would not get enough cricketers from the districts.
“This is the initiative taken by me when I was chairman of the tournament committee,” said Cricket Operations chairman Akram Khan.
“We felt that if we want to be good at the Test level, we’ve to become habituated to the longer version of cricket from a tender age. That’s why we first began the under-19 longer-version cricket. If it succeeds, we’ll arrange four-day cricket at the under-15 and 17 levels. The longer version of cricket at the youth level also will help us identify chuckers and help players modify their actions before they make it to the national team,” he added.
After the Test debut of Bangladesh, the core group of players did not play even 10 first class matches at home. Sometimes they have international commitments, or there are injuries, or they are playing in the domestic T-20 league. It is often alleged that star players try to avoid playing in the NCL or BCL, even though the BCB has made playing in these tournaments mandatory and even improved the financial package.
“Our domestic first class fixture normally clashes with our international cricketing season. That’s why we don’t get the national players. But I don’t think they deliberately avoid playing in the NCL or BCL. If there is any proof in this regard, we’ll definitely take action,” Khan said.
“We’ve sent a clear message to the players that they would have to perform in the NCL if they want to get a place in the BCL. And the BCL is the precursor to get the Test cap. We raised the remuneration and adopted zero tolerance of indiscipline. Everybody is bound to play first class cricket if there is no national commitment. It’s the only way to do well in Test cricket. And we won’t compromise on it,” Khan clarified.

Testing times for Bangladesh

Time to pay attention to longer version

The ultimate goal for a cricketer is to play Test cricket. Bangladesh cricketers are lagging behind in the longer version. The Independent Sport has made an attempt to assess all the pros and cons so as to find out improvements in Test cricket in a three-part series report. Following is the second instalment.

Part II First class cricket is prelude to attaining the Test cap. This statement is true for other teams, but it does not matter in the case of Bangladesh. Before giving a Test cap, selectors in Australia and England go through the performance of the particular player in Sheffield Shield or County Cricket. The Indian selectors emphasize on players performance in Ranji Trophy. Experience in first class cricket matters when a player comes under the selection radar. But in Bangladesh, it is different. A players performance in the Dhaka Premier League (DPL), a 50-over affair, mostly matters in Test selection, when the NCL should have been the criterion for his selection in crickets elite format. It is one the reasons why Bangladesh has not been able to achieve considerable success in Test cricket. The scenario, however, changed after 2010 when the NCL and BCL were made competitive. But the core players of Bangladesh in Test cricketTamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah Riyad--- were not products of first class cricket. They came from an age group level and none of them played even 10 first class matches before their Test debut. Because of their extraordinary talent, they thrived in Test cricket, much to the relief of Bangladesh cricket. When they thrived, most of their contemporary cricketers were simply forgotten. You cant expect all of them to be talented like Shakib and Tamim. We suffered in Test cricket because we havent had any proper goal before 2010. Were fortunate that our age level group was strong and thats why we got some players who are now leading Bangladesh cricket. They came after 2006 and once they matured, they helped Bangladesh get a strong foothold. At the same time, we cant claim that we got considerable amount of cricketers from the district level. There is the National Cricket Championship (NCC). Sixty-four districts participate in it, but I dont think weve got enough players from there, said Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu. Hossain feels regional cricket associations should be strengthened to make district associations competitive. The remuneration was increased, but the result wasnt satisfactory. We were talking about regional cricket associations even before we got the Test status, but still weve not been able to form them. Everybody knows, if we cant form regional cricket associations, we cant expect cricketers to come up from the district level. As we dont get cricketers from there, weve to rely on our academy and age group, and thats what were doing. If there are regional cricket associations and if they get the power, they can arrange longer-version cricket tournament for all age groups in their district. Only then will we have new talent coming up, he added. After the committee led by Nazmul Hassan Papon took over, it too emphasized forming regional cricket associations as soon as possible. Papon said they have already started working in this regard, but so far nothing has materialised. An insider said there should be enough educated manpower if cricket has to be decentralised, but most district associations do not have that manpower. They cant run cricket in the districts. Weve given enough money to the DSAs, but what have they done? Most of the DSAs have not been able to show any success. Success means nurturing cricketers and creating new talent, but they just keep wasting money. So how can you rely on them? Itll be tough to decentralise cricket, even though its a popular demand, said a BCB source. Hossain said it is imperative to set up academies in major cities of the country, on the lines of the one in Dhaka, to churn out cricketing talent. The academy at Mirpur alone has been providing players at the moment. Such academies with good facilities should be set up in big cities. There is a lot of talent in remote areas. These boys just cannot make it to Dhaka as they do not have enough money, he added. The board started the longer version of cricket at the under-19 level after realising that it would not get enough cricketers from the districts. This is the initiative taken by me when I was chairman of the tournament committee, said Cricket Operations chairman Akram Khan. We felt that if we want to be good at the Test level, weve to become habituated to the longer version of cricket from a tender age. Thats why we first began the under-19 longer-version cricket. If it succeeds, well arrange four-day cricket at the under-15 and 17 levels. The longer version of cricket at the youth level also will help us identify chuckers and help players modify their actions before they make it to the national team, he added. After the Test debut of Bangladesh, the core group of players did not play even 10 first class matches at home. Sometimes they have international commitments, or there are injuries, or they are playing in the domestic T-20 league. It is often alleged that star players try to avoid playing in the NCL or BCL, even though the BCB has made playing in these tournaments mandatory and even improved the financial package. Our domestic first class fixture normally clashes with our international cricketing season. Thats why we dont get the national players. But I dont think they deliberately avoid playing in the NCL or BCL. If there is any proof in this regard, well definitely take action, Khan said. Weve sent a clear message to the players that they would have to perform in the NCL if they want to get a place in the BCL. And the BCL is the precursor to get the Test cap. We raised the remuneration and adopted zero tolerance of indiscipline. Everybody is bound to play first class cricket if there is no national commitment. Its the only way to do well in Test cricket. And we wont compromise on it, Khan clarified.