In the aftermath of Bangladesh’s disheartening defeat in the rain-curtailed Kanpur Test, the team’s head coach Chandika Hathurusingha has been candid in his assessment of the team’s performance. Bangladesh succumbed to India’s strategic prowess in a match that wrapped up in just 173.2 overs, marking it as the fourth-shortest Test in cricket history. Despite the brevity of the contest, India managed a comprehensive seven-wicket victory, leaving Bangladesh to ponder what might have been.
The Bangladeshi side found themselves on the back foot early on the fifth day, with hopes pinned on a resilient batting effort to salvage a draw. However, those hopes were quickly dashed as the team collapsed within a single session on October 1. During a brief but devastating 21-minute spell, Bangladesh lost four key wickets: team captain Najmul Hossain Shanto, Shadman Islam, Shakib Al Hasan, and Litton Das, which effectively sealed their fate.
Chandika Hathurusingha, reflecting on this defeat, acknowledged India’s effective approach. “The defeat is profoundly affecting us regarding our performance. India’s approach was unprecedented and full credit must go to Rohit and his team for implementing such a strategy, making a match out of it. Unfortunately, we did not respond quickly enough to adapt to their tactics,” Hathurusingha admitted.
The coach didn’t shy away from scrutinizing his team’s batting woes, which have become a recurring theme in recent series. Despite a few individual successes in preceding matches, Bangladesh struggled to showcase their full potential against a high-caliber Indian side. According to Hathurusingha, “One contributing factor to our batting struggles was the sheer quality of our opposition. The skill level displayed throughout this series was exceptional. There is a wealth of lessons to be drawn from this experience. Facing India on their home turf represents one of cricket’s greatest challenges, underscoring the areas in which we need to progress.”
Bangladesh entered the series with momentum, having secured a historic series win over Pakistan. Nonetheless, Hathurusingha anticipated the formidable challenge awaiting them in India. “Defeating Pakistan was a significant milestone, but we understood the challenge posed by India would be severe. It’s crucial not to let emotions cloud our performance. Similarly, we shouldn’t linger on the highs of our previous victory or the lows of this result.
. We need to temper our expectations and benchmark ourselves against the performances that brought success in Pakistan, while also acknowledging our shortcomings here against a talented Indian side,” he reflected.
The coach recognized the overall superiority of the Indian squad, duly noting the gap in skill levels that had left Bangladesh lagging. He mentioned, “Our performance wasn’t up to our best potential, and we’re understandably disappointed. It’s impractical to overburden individual players and their on-field decisions without the right support mechanisms in place.”
Yet, Hathurusingha stood by captain Najmul Hossain Shanto’s bold decision to employ a reverse sweep against Ravindra Jadeja, a move that resulted in his dismissal. “It’s part of both individual and team strategy. We are playing on a pitch that favors spin. When your defense is being consistently tested, executing a reverse sweep can be a calculated strategy if you have practiced adequately,” he explained.
He further elaborated on the team’s tactical considerations, noting, “Our discussions did not revolve around mere survival. Instead, we aimed to play in accordance with the conditions and leverage our individual players’ strengths. Whether being caught out from a defensive shot or a sweep on such wickets, the choice resides with the batter. If a sweep represents the batter’s best defensive option or way to rotate the strike, then it’s viable, although execution may have fallen short as was evident in this innings. Mominul’s adept sweeping the previous day demonstrated the strategy’s potential.”
Hathurusingha also commented on the team’s lapses in judgment, especially how they handled changes in the bowling attack. “What stands out is losing a wicket at bowling changes. We needed to allow more time to adjust to new bowlers,” he noted.
The future of star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan also remains uncertain. Hathurusingha confessed there was no clarity on whether the Kanpur Test was Shakib’s swan song. The all-rounder seeks assurances about security for the impending home Test series against South Africa before making his decision known. “As far as I’m aware, Shakib is slated to participate in the South African series,” the coach stated. “Succession planning is always in motion, particularly at this juncture of his career, although it was surprising to hear the South Africa series may be his last. Replacing someone of Shakib’s caliber on a like-for-like basis is an unprecedented challenge,” he added.