“That’s a brave question, Masha Allah!” Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain did not shy away from showing his surprise when he was asked whether he is feeling the heat of carrying an out-of-sort Shakib Al Hasan in the Test team.
Shakib’s performance in the series opener turned out to be a topic of discussion with questions being raised about his fitness. The general feeling among the pundits is that his body is struggling to cope with the demands of five-day cricket, considering his age.
Shakib, who dropped a catch, also failed to pick any wicket in his 21 overs that he bowled in the first Test. With the bat, he only managed to score 32 and 25, respectively, and on both occasions, he never looked to be at his dominant best. His chewing of the helmet strap while batting turned out to be another major topic of discussion that Bangladesh batting coach David Hemp later cleared to Cricbuzz.
Being an experienced bowler in spin-friendly conditions, Shakib’s introduction to the attack came only after 50 overs in the first innings, and this has also raised quite a few eyebrows, more so after it was speculated that he is carrying a finger injury. Najmul Hossain, however, curtailed any potential controversial questions thrown at him and vouched for his senior player.
“As a captain, honestly, I look at how much hard work a player is putting into his game,” Najmul told reporters at the post-match press conference on Sunday. “Whether he is struggling to make a comeback. For me, what is important is their intention towards the team and how much he is willing to give to the team,” he said.
“I look at these things mainly. Some people might think that I am saying it because the question is about Shakib bhai. I try to look at everyone in the same way, whether it is Nahid Rana or Mushfiq bhai. More than whether he is scoring runs or not, I look at his preparation and his thinking about the team. I am happy with the way that every member of this Test squad has prepared and been willing to give to the team,” he added.
Najmul stressed that his decision not to use Shakib early in the first innings was based on the performance of the pace bowlers and not on Shakib’s condition. “I didn’t really need him (Shakib) in the first innings, seeing how the three pace bowlers were doing. Mehidy Hasan Miraz too was bowling well. It was my plan to keep the fast bowlers on for longer. We took six wickets quickly too,” he explained.
Addressing concerns about Shakib’s injury, Najmul added, “His finger was taped. He was bleeding from his finger from the last time he was hit there.
. I don’t feel comfortable talking about a player’s individual performance. This is a team game, and only a whole team’s contribution makes it possible to win a game. Overall, we should have all contributed more. I am not worried about individual performances,” he emphasized.
Najmul noted that he is not ready to put the blame on the Kookaburra ball for their poor show while stressing the need for more responsibility on the pitch. “I don’t think the ball was a big issue. It is just a ball. There’s obviously a difference between Kookaburra and SG balls, but the players adjusted to it. We can’t say that we played poorly because of the type of ball.”
He pointed out the shortcomings in their batting, especially in the first innings. “We didn’t bat well in the first innings. It was a very important phase of the game. We could have been in a better position if we had at least one top-order partnership,” he said.
Reflecting on lessons to be learned from the match, Najmul said, “In terms of learning from this game, I think it is very important that the top order, especially in the first innings, should have been more careful. We need to put some runs on the board. Going forward, all the batters think that they can come back in the next Test.”
Najmul concluded by emphasizing the importance of time spent at the crease. “It is important to spend the time on the wicket. But it wasn’t enough. Still, it will help for the second Test. It was very important for the openers to put on 62 runs. That’s one thing we can look forward to in the next Test match,” he concluded.
In summary, the captain remains steadfast in his belief that individual performances are secondary to overall team contributions, and he expects his team to learn from their mistakes and come back stronger in the next Test.