Our first choice to do well in Test in SL
Minhaj tells Kayes to prove physical fitness
Sports Reporter
Opener Imrul Kayes will not play the next round game of the Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL) though he was slated to play the two rounds of the league to prove his physical fitness.
Kayes slammed century after playing the important fifth round game for Prime Bank South Zone. Now he has to wait for his fitness test, which will be held on March 4 just two-day rest after the end of the fifth round. If he could prove himself physically fit, he will then get the passport for Sri Lanka prior to the second Test.
Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) selection panel chairman Minhajul Abedin Nannu in this regard said that they will certify Kayes for the next games of Bangladesh in Sri Lanka if he could prove himself fit physically at March 4 test.
We let him play the BCL games to see his fitness level as we faced a bad experience in Hyderabad. The report we received he did well with bat but his problem is happened during the fielding. Now we have to know how much progress he has done after the end of the fielding session. If he could prove himself fit, we will then select him for the second Test, said Minhajul Abedin.
There will be no problem for us to include one player though we sent 16 players. We will whittle the squad down to 15 from 16 after the end of the two-dayer practice match. We have plans to send him before the outset of the second Test if he is fit fully, Nannu told the media.
He plays for us all the three formats. Actually we didnt drop him for his fitness. We dropped him for the lacks of physical fitness. As he has improved we will now see him in the physical fitness test to be held on March 4. If he is fit, we will consider him for the next games, he added.
Citing Sri Lanka as the strongest side at their home condition, Nannu said that they will have possibility of doing well if they could use their experiences what they gathered from the last three consecutive series against England, New Zealand and India.
Sri Lanka in last Test series against Australia played a tremendous cricket. Actually they are a stronger side at their home soil. Weve just started Test at away condition. I think our players got some experiences after playing in three straight Test series. If they could capitalize these experiences, we will then fare well. We have an advantage that we have a balance in spin and pace battery, he said.
In past, we would think how we could do spin and pace at away condition. But that thing we have passed. Now our batsmen could responsibly bat and compile a healthy total by batting well especially in first innings, we could then put Sri Lanka on pressure, he also said.
Weve games in all the three formats. I think Test cricket is important and that is our first choice to do well in Sri Lanka. If we could play throughout the whole five days and pass a good Test series, we will then play better cricket in other formats, he added.
He believes that their players have acquired enough experience and a good combination has been set in the team through batting, bowling and fielding. If the players could be confident and do right things in right time, they will then get a positive result in Sri Lanka series.
He also believes that the basis of our cricket will be stronger if they could play better Test cricket in Sri Lanka.
Our experience has been better after beating England at this sub-condition. Then, we played better cricket in New Zealand and India though all teams struggle in Indian condition. In that sense, I think we could play a better cricket in Sri Lanka and fetch good result the basis of our cricket will then be stronger further, he signed off.
