Five areas where Bangladesh need improvement in Test

A landslide defeat against Australia in the second Test has given Bangladesh cricket a reality check. In the last few years, the Asian nation has improved significantly and especially in home conditions, has become a force to reckon with.

However, they still have a massive distance to cover before they become one of the top nations in world cricket. As Australia displayed in the Chittagong Test, Bangladesh is competent but surely is not a dominating team in Tests.

The rise of Bangladesh across all formats is a positive development for international cricket, but the development has to continue for another few years and only then will they become a truly champion side.

We take a look at the five areas where the Bangla tigers have to focus and work hard to improve their overall game.

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#5. Vulnerable batting

Great Test teams have a strong and consistent batting line-up. Importantly they don't rely on one single player to contribute. For Australia, it was Hayden, Ponting, and Martin while the unit of Smith and Kallis made South Africa a powerhouse. In the current Indian team, contributions have come from Pujara, Kohli, and Rahane.

However, for Bangladesh, the key contributors have remained the same over the years. Tamim Iqbal has been outstanding at the top of the order and Shakib Al Hasan has contributed significantly with the bat, but the rest of the batting department hasn't been that effective.

Since 2014, only three Bangladeshi batsmen average more than 40 in Tests. Apart from Tamim, Shakib, and Mushfiqur Rahim, the rest of the batting line-up lacks consistency.

#4. Venom less pace bowling department-

Mustafizur was the only effective pacer against Australia

Bangladesh's bowling attack is dominated by the spinners. Although the sub-continent nation has quality pacers, their role so far has been limited and it has resulted in hampering their development.

Mustafizur Rahman is one of the most promising young bowlers in world cricket. Since his debut in 2015, he has featured in six Tests and has claimed 17 wickets. In the same span, Mehidy Hasan Miraz played nine Tests while Shakib Al Hasan featured in 11 Tests.

Apart from Mustafizur, no other pacer has made any significant impact in Tests and hence, Bangladesh's pace department lacks depth. They do have potentially good candidates who have the ability to bowl at decent pace and can make the ball move in dangerous ways but lack of chances and other factors has costed them dearly.

The hollow pace attack can become an Achilles heel for the sub-continent nation and hence they need to work on this aspect.

#3. One-dimensional spin attack-

Shakib is Bangladesh's best spinner

Undoubtedly, the current spin attack of Bangladesh is one of the best in world cricket. Shakib Al Hasan is a world class spinner. He has plenty of experience behind him and he is evolving effectively to adapt to the changing conditions.

The 19-year-old Mehidy Hasan had a dream debut and has done well to stay relevant so far in his short career while Taijul Islam has more than fifty Test wickets under his belt.

This bowling attack in supporting conditions is capable of wrecking any batting order, but all these spinners are one-dimensional. As Warner showed with his counterattack in the first Test and with patience in the second Test, negotiating this spin attack is not impossible.

Shakib and Co. had no answer to Warner's game plan and they were running out of ideas while bowling at him. Matt Renshaw and Peter Handscomb didn't score massive runs but they too showed the limitations of this spin attack.

Legendary spinners are flexible in their approach and a surprise move by batsmen doesn't interrupt their rhythm. This facet of sticking to the game plan and not getting affected by the batsmen's moves is lacking in Bangladesh's spin department.

#2. Failure to step-up during pressure situation-

Bangladesh have lacked the mental toughness present when Mashrafe is leading them

The best sides in Test cricket have always found a way of upping the ante when things are falling apart. This rare ability to bounce back separates good sides from great sides.

Bangladesh so far has shown that they have the courage to step up and fight and win battles. But they haven't found a way of coming back when pushed to the corner.

In the Chittagong Test, when the team was trailing by 72 runs, Bangladesh needed someone to step up and deliver a decisive punch. Instead, the team crumbled under pressure and was all out for 157 runs.

Mavericks such as Ravindra Jadeja, Ben Stokes, Adam Gilchrist and Shane Warne are the kinds of players who stood up when the going became tough and saved their respective sides. Bangladesh requires such players in their Test team who can play a similar role.

#1. Performances in overseas Tests-

Second Test - Bangladesh v Sri Lanka: Day 3

Since 2014, Bangladesh have won six Tests. Five of these wins came in home Tests while the victory against Sri Lanka in 2017 came at Colombo, Sri Lanka. In the same span, the sub-continent nation lost ten Tests. Three defeats in Bangladesh and seven in overseas Tests.

Outside Asia, Bangladesh hasn't won any Tests and all their overseas defeats have been massive defeats. In Asian conditions, the Bangla tigers are a competitive unit but they lack the skills and the experience for excelling in overseas conditions.

After reaping heavy success in home Tests, Bangladesh will surely play more overseas Tests in the next few years. These Tests would be the biggest challenge for them as currently their Test team is modelled according to the requirements of sub-continent conditions.

For winnings Tests outside Asia, Bangladesh requires a reliable and skilled pace artillery which has plenty of variations and stamina to bowl for longer periods. Also, their batsmen have to learn the art of negotiating the moving ball which currently they are not capable of.