In the aftermath of their painful defeat in the truncated Kanpur Test, Bangladesh’s head coach Chandika Hathurusingha expressed his disappointment, while commending India’s aggressive approach during the match. The contest, marked by a dramatic batting collapse from Bangladesh, ended with a decisive seven-wicket victory for India in a game that lasted just 173.2 overs, making it the fourth-shortest match in the history of Test cricket.
Bangladesh entered the final day of the Test with hopes of holding out for a draw, aiming to bat through extended spells. However, these ambitions were dashed within a single session on the final day, October 1. In a mere 21-minute whirlwind, Bangladesh lost four crucial wickets, including those of the captain Najmul Hossain Shanto, Shadman Islam, Shakib Al Hasan, and Litton Das, leaving the team reeling.
Reflecting on the loss, Hathurusingha acknowledged the efficacy of India’s strategy and lauded Rohit Sharma and his team for their innovative gameplay. “The defeat is really hurting us in terms of our performance. India’s approach was really not seen before. All credit to Rohit and the Indian team for coming up with that approach and making a match of it. We actually didn’t react quick enough,” Hathurusingha conceded.
The head coach did not shy away from critiquing his own team’s batting performances over the series, highlighting a gap between potential and execution. He emphasized the high skill level exhibited by the Indian side and recognized the significant improvements needed for his team to compete effectively. “Batting was disappointing in this series. Some players did well in the last series. We have not been performing to our potential in the last few series. One reason for the batting was the quality of the opposition. The skill level in this series was very high. We’re taking a lot of learnings from this. Playing India in India is the toughest assignment. We know how much we need to improve,” he noted.
Upon their arrival in India, Bangladesh had just celebrated a historic series victory in Pakistan. However, Hathurusingha was cognizant of the formidable challenge that awaited them on Indian soil. “We came here after beating Pakistan but we knew that the challenges will be steep in India.
. It won’t be a good thing if I attach our feeling to our performance. We didn’t get too high on ourselves for winning in Pakistan, so we shouldn’t go down too much after this result,” he remarked.
Despite the disappointing result, Hathurusingha pointed out that the team was thoroughly outplayed and emphasized the need for significant improvement in skill levels. “I think we were completely outplayed in this series. I saw the difference in skill levels, so we need to improve. Having said that, we didn’t play to our best potential. We are disappointed with it. There’s no point in putting pressure on every individual player and their decisions in the middle if we are not getting the right support,” he explained.
In defending the captain’s controversial decision to attempt a reverse sweep against Ravindra Jadeja and get bowled, Hathurusingha stated that it was part of an individual and team strategy tailored to the spinning wicket. “It is individual and team plan as well. We are playing on a spinning wicket. If the defense is getting challenged, it is a strategy to play the reverse sweep if you have practiced hard on the shot,” he said.
Hathurusingha emphasized the importance of playing according to the conditions and individual strengths, stating, “We didn’t talk about survival. We thought of playing according to the conditions and the strength of the individuals. If you defend and get caught at bat-pad, it is the same as getting out sweeping on a wicket like this.”
While the decision-making and execution faltered, resulting in a significant internal disappointment, Hathurusingha was hopeful for the learnings and adjustments that would follow. “I am sure they are disappointed at some of the dismissals and the decision-making. What stands out for me is that we lost a wicket when there’s been a bowling change. We didn’t give ourselves enough time to get used to the new bowler,” he said.
Regarding Shakib Al Hasan’s future with the team, Hathurusingha remained non-committal, hinting at a possible continuation for the South Africa series. “I haven’t heard anything to say that this is the last time Shakib is playing. As far as I know, he is playing the South Africa series.” He also acknowledged the challenges in finding a replacement for a player of Shakib’s caliber, mentioning that succession plans are always in place as part of the team’s transitioning strategy.