That Bangladesh posted an impressive 400-allout in the first innings of their inaugural Test against India was largely down to the Herculean efforts of Aminul Islam Bulbul, who scored the nation’s first century in five-day cricket.
Habibul Bashar Sumon’s contribution though cannot be understated as it was his 112-ball 71 that ultimately laid the platform for the Tigers’ commendable first-innings tally.
Bangladesh have come a long way since that particular winter morning and the same can be said about Bashar, who after playing alongside both generation of cricketers is now one-third of the national selection panel.
Bashar’s decorated Test career prolonged for 50 matches. With three hundreds and 24 fifties, the man who was famous for his pull shots, Bashar was an idol to most kids from the 90s. In the fourth part of Dhaka Tribune’s exclusive series of interviews Bashar speaks about the early days in Bangladesh cricket.
How did it feel after you came to know that the Tigers became the 10th Test-playing nation?
We dreamt of playing Test cricket when we were kids. We only used to hear stories of Test cricket; how intense the matches used to be, what level of dedication it was required to play the format. A cricketer’s skills also come under the spotlight in Test cricket. It was not easy for us to see a game of Test; it was a huge thing to be honest. So it was a dream for me to play Tests and thanks to the Almighty, it was fulfilled. And now, it is a great satisfaction to see Bangladesh play in the white outfit and with the red ball. I enjoy it a lot.
Many have commented that Bangladesh were given the Test status too early. Your take on that?
I do not believe in this. I do not think Bangladesh had a premature start to Test cricket. One thing I feel is that if Bangladesh did not start playing the game in 2000, then it would have been late if you ask me. I think the time and the situation was just right for us. Test cricket is totally different from the other formats so the early you start, the better. I do not agree that we started playing the game before it was the appropriate time.
What was your initial reaction upon finding out the Tigers were granted the Test status?
I actually cannot remember who informed me of Bangladesh getting the Test status and that we will play the maiden match against India. I think it was some player who might have informed me. I could not believe at first to be honest. It took me a couple of days to realise.
The excitement was sky-high if you ask me. I never knew that we would be able to play Test cricket so once I was informed, I could not control my joy. It was a huge thing for us, especially for me personally because I had dreamt of it since I was a kid. It has been 15 years but still I can feel the excitement. I still have goosebumps when I think of that moment.
Tell us about the first innings. 400 first up against a team like India; what worked?
As I told you, we were excited. Playing the maiden Test in itself was a huge boost for us, so the confidence got generated automatically. To be honest, we never had a big game-plan or anything as such. The only strategy we had was that we needed to show that we can play the game. On top of that, we were playing against a team which had some legends.
I believe that was the key. It was an adventure for us. We scored a big total in the first innings, riding on [Aminul Islam] Bulbul bhai’s 145-run innings. The second innings was not a sound scenario for us but I think given the ability we had at that point of time, we tried to put all of that out on the field.
Your most memorable moment from the match?
Every moment from that game was memorable. We scored 400 runs in the first innings, which was memorable. Bulbul bhai became the first Bangladeshi to score a century. Starting from the first till the last ball, every moment was special for me.
How do you rate Bangladesh’s progress in Test cricket in the last 15 years?
We are far behind, compared to the other Test-playing nations. It is true that it has already been 15 years but if you observe the other teams, it took them more than 15 years to bring themselves to shape. The other teams have been playing Tests for more than 100 years, so it will be quite unfair if you start comparing Bangladesh’s Test performances with the other teams. But despite that, I think we should have been a few steps ahead than where we are now.
