Bangladesh have once again adopted the perennial formula of forming a spin-laden team, ignoring the seamers and Abu Jayed Rahi became the latest scapegoat in the altar of sacrifice to worship the conservative mindset.
Preparing a slow, low pitch, deploy as many spin bowlers as possible against the non sub-continent sides is regarded as the most potent formula for winning Test matches in Bangladesh.
The formula was heavily implied by India during the early 1990s when they became a formidable force at home but used to surrender meekly on faster, livelier pitches against the pacers abroad.
But, in recent decades the side changed their approach, encouraged the faster men to become mainstay rather than just do the unglamorous job of taking shine off the ball for their spinners.
The paradigm shift acted as the main reason of transforming India into one of the top Test sides both at home and away.
Bangladesh, albeit desperate to fetch some wins in the elite format of the game, hinted in recent times that they would look beyond the immediate result and nurture a culture to help pacers thrive for future.
The head coach Russell Domingo expressed several times that they are looking forward to provide more opportunities for the pacers and picking as many as six of them in the squad was thought as a supportive statement in that regard.
The team management also claimed in the media that they are also trying to prepare for tough New Zealand series ahead and provide stage for faster bowlers to get themselves ready for future.
Rahi looks on from the boundary alongside his teammates after being overlooked from the starting XI BCB
However, Wednesday, when Bangladesh XI was announced it was seen that the team consisted only one seamer in Mustafizur Rahaman and Rahi, who was supposed to lead the pace attack, was omitted.
The last time Bangladesh played a Test, in February last year, when they took on Zimbabwe in Dhaka, spinners were chief destroyers picking up 15 wickets but Rahi, one of the two pacers along with Ebadat Hossain, got an impressive four-for in the first innings bowling as many as 24 overs.
Bangladesh play fewer Tests than other teams and players like Rahi, who is regarded as Test specialist, get even lesser chances and once again faces the curse of being a fast bowler in this part of the world.
For another time, it is stated, the aspiring young Bangladeshis should not dream of becoming a fast bowler, the ignored step-sons of the country’s cricket.
Former BCB game development manager Nazmul Abedeen felt disappointed with the lack of pacers and he believes the conservative mindset will also harm the spinners, hence the total future of cricket.
‘’Look, if we cannot show courage against the Windies of playing even two pace bowlers in the Test, then with whom are you expecting to do it at home,” Nazmul told Dhaka Tribune.
“Firstly it is very disheartening for the pace bowlers and Jayed in particular, considering he was doing well and was expected to be our best pace bowler, and the second thing is that spinners don’t have a competition among themselves.
“We can win the Test but that does not solve the problem because if you want to be a successful Test squad you are expected to do well both at home and abroad and if that is taken we are certainly not making the right move,” said the veteran organizer.
