**Official** India in Bangladesh

[silentstriker]

Well I'm happy Rahul declared when he did. Glad to see something like that, even if has a chance of backfiring.

 

[Trigger_Tiger]

.....

51/1 after 10 and then they go into a shell! 82/2 after 21 you still have a chance to win and you send in Rajin Saleh? Who cares about a bloddy draw and go for the glory try to win the match. Send in Ashraful, Mortaza and Rafique, then if that doesn't work out try to save the Test.

Espically when your only Test Win is against Zimbabwe.

Hats off to Dravid trying to make a game off it and Bashar needs to be kicked out ASAP for bringing in that snail Saleh.

True! Mortaza would have enjoyed batting at number 3, followed by Rafique and Ashraful and then Saquib could have come out and he can hit well too! Bangladesh needs Tamim Iqbal drafted to the Test side as soon as possible I say.

Yes Tamim surely has a rush of blood every now and then, but if one monitors he will find that he is taming down with every match and settling in. In ODIs he gets out after settling in because he has been given the job to score pretty quick at the top. But in tests he has a lot of time to play the way he wants to, which is - hit, smack, kapow, bang, boom, then again the singles, the doubles and the triples that keeps the scoreboard ticking and the strike rotating.

I would seriously love to have this batting lineup for Bangladesh in the tests:

Javed Omar and Shahriar Nafees
Habibul Bashar
Saqibul Hasan
Mohammed Ashraful
Tamim Iqbal
Mashrafe Mortaza
Mohammed rafique
Khaled Mashud
Shahadat Hossain
Enamul Haque Jr. (or which ever other bowler they have on the side)

This batting order has a mix of agression with sobriety. Omar and Nafees can both play long innings (but they need to score and not just hang on or get out to loose shots).
Bashar is a decent player while Saqib can change gears.
After that Ash can settle in and also play his strokes while Tamim will play the shots and bring up the runs.
The run flow can continue with Mortaza's BIG hitting combined with his sensible rotation of the strike.
Rafique can slog and depending on what condition Bangladesh are in (whether they are losing wickets too quick and need it to stop or not) he and Mashud can swith places.

The lower order is the lower order. Nothing much to say about that.

Also, Bangladesh team's chief selector said that Mushfiqur Rahim is nowhere close to being as good as Mashud. I beg to differ with Mr. Faruq. Since his return, Mashud looks a more rusty keeper than he was before. He was good even a year ago, but he is not as athletic as the young one and not to mention how not-up-to-the-mark he is in motivating the fielders and setting up the field when the captain has made a mess of things.
He I think can be a pretty good batsmen in tests too.

Oh well, the second test is up and there might be a few changes. Bangladesh does have another opener Mehrab Hossain Jr. but I don't expect to see him anytime soon unless Omar has a drop in form or retires (actually Omar is looking pretty darn good at the moment though).

Rasel is a good backup bowler should either Mortaza or Shadat not play a game for some reason (hope not, they're a good, good bowling pair).

On the other hand, Bangladesh seriously need to think of drafting a few off-spinners onto the side. It is so dull to see 3-4 slow left arm orthodox spinners with little turn and not a lot of variations. I think Ashraful is an emulation of Tendulkar in some ways, except that he is tendulkar divided by 3 .....I mean that kid can bowl leg-breaks and googlies but is not nurtured well enough. He can be a good partnership breaker like Sachin in my opinion .

*sigh* Only if the Bangladeshi selectors/team management would listen to what I have to say !!!!!

 

[marc71178]

If they draw then I doubt the public would be too happy either, meaning they almost have to push for the win or face some public backlash. I'd prefer to see a bit of daring myself, but I know it's unlikely to happen.

I'd hope most serious Cricket fans would realise that the main (if not only) reason for a lack of win here was the rain.

 

[shankar]

Pretty happy with how VRV Singh's bowled. Obviously, nothing special but he has good control and bowls good testing lines at decent pace. Seems to have a lot of potential.

RP singh on the other hand -

 

[Pratters]

Haven't seen VRV Singh in this game but I did watch him in the Irani Trophy game at length. What I liked most about it was that he is a trier. He kept bowling with his heart on his sleave, over after over and the committment was very good to see. With a basic talent, constructive hardwork and the right attitude can go a long way.

 

[Trigger_Tiger]

.....

Pretty happy with how VRV Singh's bowled. Obviously, nothing special but he has good control and bowls good testing lines at decent pace. Seems to have a lot of potential.

RP singh on the other hand -

I reflect it .

VRV was decent in the latter part of the first innings and the second innings. Yes, he was better than RP and Zaheer in the overall coontext of this game.
The only thing to worry is that he runs in a little too close to the stumps and has knocked the bails off a number of times. Should sort it out before he hurts a finger or two.

 

[Manee]

I reflect it .

VRV was decent in the latter part of the first innings and the second innings. Yes, he was better than RP and Zaheer in the overall coontext of this game.
The only thing to worry is that he runs in a little too close to the stumps and has knocked the bails off a number of times. Should sort it out before he hurts a finger or two.

He just needs to start his run up from further to the left. From experience, it is harder than it sounds but should not take longer than two weeks to learn. Small shame that VRV was not bowling 90mph like he can but I guess that is because of the extremely hot conditions more than anything.

 

[ramkumar_gr]

He just needs to start his run up from further to the left. From experience, it is harder than it sounds but should not take longer than two weeks to learn. Small shame that VRV was not bowling 90mph like he can but I guess that is because of the extremely hot conditions more than anything.

I feel he does not have a genuine wicket taking ball. He runs in hard and hits the deck all the time all right. But any bowler should have a wicket taking delivery. VRV should improve on that drastically i guess..

 

[universe]

SPORTING declaration?

btw: I was wondering how can one call it a sporting declaration? 250 runs in 43 overs, RRR 5.81. Was it possible for even Australia? It's not oneday where anything down the legside is wide, or no more than 2 players can field outside the 30 yard cricle for a period, or even the best bowler of the day can't bowl more than 10 overs. For the team where batsman like Gilchrist bat at number 7 maybe, just maybe, possible. But not for Bangladesh. Even India scored only 100 in 24 overs when they tried to go all out. Test cricket is all very different.

 

[jeevan]

Flat wicket and one primary bowler (Kumble) out of action. Bangladesh had a couple of things going for them. Plus the upside of winning a test and very little downside.

Most of all, they were over 5 runs/over for a little bit while in the innings. So it was a sporting total.

 

[Nishant]

btw: I was wondering how can one call it a sporting declaration? 250 runs in 43 overs, RRR 5.81. Was it possible for even Australia? It's not oneday where anything down the legside is wide, or no more than 2 players can field outside the 30 yard cricle for a period, or even the best bowler of the day can't bowl more than 10 overs. For the team where batsman like Gilchrist bat at number 7 maybe, just maybe, possible. But not for Bangladesh. Even India scored only 100 in 24 overs when they tried to go all out. Test cricket is all very different.

it is a sporting declaration....not many captains would declare the way Dravid did TBH. If it were the aussies....they might have gone for the total with a bit more aggresion than bangladesh did TBH. It not like they needed to go at 5.81 RPO for a long period of time such as 70 overs or something. It was less than 50 overs with all ten wickets remaining and a pretty good batting wicket.

 

[Nishant]

i personally dont like VRV singh TBH...i dont see him as the future of indian cricket. as it was said previously, he doesnt have a wicket taking delivery...he hits the deck hard and can be hit aroung quite easily as well. RP singh has a bit more extra pace and can swing it a tad more than VRV. On the whole i dont like either of the bowlers as both are wayward...but if compared, i like RP singh better.

 

[Trigger_Tiger]

Nafees Iqbal and Tamim Iqbal might open together soon!

Nafees Iqbal and Tamim Iqbal might open together soon!

CHITTAGONG: It was last September that Nafees Iqbal was sitting after a batting session wondering how he would go about getting his place at the top of the order in the Bangladesh playing XI back.

Just then, a young and talented opening batsman hit a fierce shot that cut through the net and hit Iqbal squarely on the cheek. If not when his bad form began in March 2006, Iqbal was probably convinced that his run of bad luck had begun now.

A surgery followed, then another injury to the ankle and come May 2007, the Bangladesh Cricket Board did not renew 21-year-old’s contract.

In fact, they decided to give it to the same talented batsman who had, accidentally, broken his jaw.

And ironically, Tamim Iqbal, the talented opening left-handed batsman who took India by storm in their World Cup match happens to be Nafees’ younger brother.

Freak injury

“We were supposed to play a club match and Tamim was in the opposite team. We decided to practice together and do some extra training. It was just my bad luck that the ball went through the net and hit me hard on the cheek,” Iqbal told MiD DAY.

Though disappointed at losing his contract, the elder Iqbal is happy that his place among the contracted players went to his brother. “I had recovered completely and was also back to playing cricket and scoring runs.

I thought I would not be picked for the series against India but I had no idea they would not renew my contract. It came as a real shock to me,” Iqbal said.

Happy for Tamim

“It was really disappointing but Tamim was picked and that was a great moment for the entire family. We all love Tamim a lot and always want him to do well. He had done really well in the World Cup and he deserved to get a contract,” he said.

With Tamim, just 18, looking good to play for Bangladesh for a long time to come, Nafees is working hard to realise Tamim’s dream.

“When I was playing for Bangladesh and he was doing well in first-class games, he always used to tell me that his dream was to open the batting for Bangladesh alongside me.

“It is unfortunate that I am not in the team right now. But I am still young and working hard. I am sure I will be back in the national team soon. And Tamim and I will be opening the innings too.”

Source: http://www.mid-day.com/sports/international/2007/may/157993.htm

 

[Perm]

I'd hope most serious Cricket fans would realise that the main (if not only) reason for a lack of win here was the rain.

Exactly, but would you expect the Indian media and fans to see that? I'm possibly being a bit harsh here, but the average Indian cricket "fan" doesn't seem to have too many brain cells.

 

[Prince EWS]

Javed Omar and Shahriar Nafees
Habibul Bashar
Saqibul Hasan
Mohammed Ashraful
Tamim Iqbal
Mashrafe Mortaza
Mohammed rafique
Khaled Mashud
Shahadat Hossain
Enamul Haque Jr.

Dire. Absolutely dire.

 

[adharcric]

Exactly, but would you expect the Indian media and fans to see that? I'm possibly being a bit harsh here, but the average Indian cricket "fan" doesn't seem to have too many brain cells.

No, not at all.

 

[Manee]

Exactly, but would you expect the Indian media and fans to see that? I'm possibly being a bit harsh here, but the average Indian cricket "fan" doesn't seem to have too many brain cells.

Dumbed by passion would be more technically correct.

 

[Jono]

btw: I was wondering how can one call it a sporting declaration? 250 runs in 43 overs, RRR 5.81. Was it possible for even Australia? It's not oneday where anything down the legside is wide, or no more than 2 players can field outside the 30 yard cricle for a period, or even the best bowler of the day can't bowl more than 10 overs. For the team where batsman like Gilchrist bat at number 7 maybe, just maybe, possible. But not for Bangladesh. Even India scored only 100 in 24 overs when they tried to go all out. Test cricket is all very different.

What did you want, India to hand the match on a plate to Bangladesh?

I love Bangladesh, but if they're going to get a win at test match level they're going to have to earn it. Indian cricket atm is hardly in a position to be declaring with anything less on the board.

 

[cover drive man]

Unfortunately I have not been following the series so far but I'm looking forward to tomorrow India are favourites but Bangledesh will provide a strong fight to win the match and are in with a real chance.

 

[Trigger_Tiger]

.....

I hope Mortaza does good in this test match and gets to bat higher up the order than usual !

Mortaza compared to the rest of the players in the Bangladesh National Cricket Team is the lone fighter.

Hence my following creation is dedicated to him . The Lone Fighter to the Very End!: