Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha
hailed Tigers’ Test win against Afghanistan a ‘more than just a Test win’ and
believed the mental barrier is now broken after winning a game in this format
on green wicket.
The Tigers crushed Afghans by 546 runs to seal their biggest margin of
victory in Tests, in terms of runs — the largest of the 21st century by any
team — and also the third-highest ever in the Test cricket history.
“I don’t know if you have seen it but I’ve written on social media that it is
more than a Test win. What I meant was, the way we prepared for this game is
something we haven’t done before. If we think about the way we prepared the
wicket which was fast and green, I think that it was a big win for us,”
Hathurusingha said here today.
“To play on that type of a wicket and then come away with flying colours
which is a big mental barrier that we broke because, before the game, I felt
a lot of people had doubts about the way we would go and even we played in a
way that we normally don’t play, we had a different strength. Gamini, the
curator is also to be given credit for preparing that kind of a wicket. So I
think it’s more than just a Test win,” he added.
Hathurusingha spoke highly on the youngsters like Zakir Hasan and Mahmudul
Hasan Joy, saying that their maturity was beyond the expectation.
“I was very impress actually (with the young players). For the first time I
saw Zakir batting. You know that he got injured during the India series. So
here a really good start in Test career but for the first time I saw him
batting in front my eyes and what I saw is very impressive,” Hathurusingha
said.
“He is good against both pace and spin and very rarity for an opener in
modern cricket. And Joy showed good temperament the way he batted… his
record also says that if he gets a good start, go it’s with. So really
positives from those two youngsters as well as very pleased that Mominul
coming into on stage as well.”
Both Zakir and Joy got half-century in the Test, while Mominul ended his
century draught after two years. Najmul Hossain Shanto meanwhile became
second Bangladesh batter after Mominul Haque to hit century in both innings
of a Test, to show he had come of age.
The Tigers indeed put up a free flowing batting but Hathurusingha said
condition will determine to how they would bat.
“If condition is conducive to positive batting, we’ll do. That’s how all we
trained and we’ve given them freedom to score runs,” The Sri Lankan coach
revealed.
“If the condition is difficult yes we will be smart enough to bat the way the
condition is allow us to bat. In the same way we must give credit to Shanto
the way he batted in two innings of this Test. Specially in first two hours,
he and Joy batted nicely and calmed the nerves of everyone in the dressing
room.”
Bangladesh fielded three-pronged pacer attack for the first time in Mirpur
and it paid the rich dividends with the pacers claiming 14 wickets, the
highest for the country in Test cricket.
Ebadot Hossain led the way in the first innings with a four-wicket haul and
Taskin Ahmed followed him in the second innings with his career-best 4-37.
Shoriful, the other pacer complemented both with further accurate bowling as
Afghanistan found them in wanting in both of the innings.
“Previously we had our strength in our spin and we realized and decided that
our biggest strength would win us games against opposition. Now we have
options using fast bowlers and wins matches,” Hathurusingha opined.
“The pleasing thing is that the pacers didn’t get carried away in the fats
and bouncy wicket. The way they bowled was so good to see and it was very
professional approach. They didn’t use the bouncer repeatedly, they bowled
mostly on the front foot. Those little things show the maturity of fast
bowlers they have come a long way. I am very pleased.”
