Following the Eid break, the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur turned lively once again. On Wednesday, Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha held a meeting with national selectors Minhajul Abedin Nannu, Habibul Bashar and Abdur Razzak before heading to Sylhet for Bangladesh’s three-day training camp ahead of their tour to the United Kingdom for a three-match ODI series against Ireland next month. Photo: Firoz Ahmed
Chandika Hathurusingha is adept at making specific plans designed for specific scenarios and with technical improvement being one of the biggest areas that still needs addressing, the Bangladesh head coach planned for a three-day training camp in Sylhet, hoping to test the adaptability of bowlers and batters to conditions there.
The team departed for Sylhet yesterday evening but Chandika had a meeting with the selectors and a few of the coaching staff in Mirpur ahead of their scheduled departure. Chandika had arrived in the country before the other coaching staffs and with the coaching staff now available following vacations, it was an opportunity to discuss plans going forward.
The Tigers are set to undergo skill practice sessions from April 27th till April 29 before they return to Dhaka. They will be heading to England next to play the ODI series against Ireland, part of the ICC ODI Super League. However, the Tigers’ view will have extended past the Ireland assignment in preparation of challenges this year.
Where Sylhet’s conditions come into the equation has to do with Test cricket, which challenges mental endurance the most, even though it is the Bangladesh ODI side that are going for the sessions. The conditions in Sylhet had allowed for swing with the new ball while the challenge for the bowlers came in the shape of consistent bounce on wickets which allowed for effective stroke-play.
Given that Dhaka has been hosting the Dhaka Premier League, Chandika wanted something which would allow the side to be tested outside of the challenges from tired pitches that have very little carry for pacers.
“When we play in Sylhet, some of the pitches over there are closest to what we might expect in England. It is also very hot here [in Dhaka]. There’s a lot of matches being played here. We can’t get the wicket that I want here,” the head coach said while talking to the media yesterday.
The training sessions in Sylhet will be effective for overall growth and although Chandika did not say it was done particularly to replicate conditions at England, it was in preparation for away challenges where there is swing and bounce on offer.
“It is not just about English conditions. It is about the overall development of our game. We are not worried about opposition or results. We want to improve our game overall wherever we play in the future. We have lots of Test cricket coming up next year. We play away from home as well.
“Just to improve our cricket,” Chandika said about the special training camp’s objective.
The majority of the players are available for the camp bar Shakib Al Hasan, who will be joining the side in England. Liton Das and Mustafizur Rahman, currently playing the Indian Premier League, are expected in England by May 5.
