In a dramatic fixture in Kanpur, Bangladesh’s head coach Chandika Hathurusingha reflected candidly on his team’s performance following their defeat against India, as cricket fans witnessed one of the shortest Test matches in history. The encounter, which unfolded over just 173.2 overs, ended with Bangladesh succumbing to a seven-wicket defeat, highlighting the challenges they faced against an aggressive Indian side.
The Kanpur Test took an unforeseen turn on the final day when Bangladesh, who had hoped to stave off defeat with a prolonged batting effort, could muster a resistance of only one session. A swift batting collapse ensued, with key players including skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto, Shadman Islam, Shakib Al Hasan, and Litton Das departing in a span of just 21 minutes. This abrupt fall of wickets dashed any hopes Bangladesh had of salvaging the match.
Chandika Hathurusingha did not shy away from acknowledging the brilliance of the Indian team, captained by Rohit Sharma. “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 (to India’s approach),” he admitted, recognizing that the strategic prowess displayed by India had been a pivotal factor.
Reflecting on his own team’s shortcomings, Hathurusingha remarked on the disappointing batting performances that have plagued Bangladesh throughout the series. He noted that while some members had shown potential in previous series, they had collectively not lived up to expectations. He also acknowledged the formidable challenge posed by the Indian side. “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 display in this series was very high. We are taking a lot of learnings from this. This is the best team. Playing India in India is the toughest assignment. We know how much we need to improve,” he said.
Arriving in India with the momentum of a historic series win against Pakistan, the team was aware of the formidable challenge lying ahead. Hathurusingha, while reflecting on the defeat, urged against letting emotions cloud their assessment of performance. “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 into 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. We knew what we did well to win in Pakistan and we know what we couldn’t do here to compete with these guys,” he stated with a pragmatic outlook.
Despite the disappointment, the head coach took on the task of charting a path forward by acknowledging the harsh realities uncovered during the series and emphasizing the need for improvement. “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 putting pressure on every individual player and their every decision in the middle if we are not getting the right support,” he added, stressing the need for a supportive environment for players.
Addressing specific on-field decisions, Hathurusingha stood by the captain’s controversial choice to attempt a reverse sweep against Ravindra Jadeja, a move that resulted in a dismissal. “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 explained, highlighting the strategic element behind such decisions.
Further reflecting on the team’s approach, he iterated that Bangladesh’s strategy did not revolve around mere survival but rather adapting to the conditions and capitalizing on individual strengths. He pointed out the execution might have let them down, particularly citing Mominul’s effective sweeping from the earlier innings as a model to emulate.
On the subject of decision-making, the head coach voiced concern over the manner in which Bangladesh lost wickets, especially following bowling changes. “The head coach couldn’t provide clarity over whether Shakib has already played his last Test. The star all-rounder has sought security assurance for the home Tests against South Africa before committing to featuring in that series.
“I haven’t heard anything to say that this is the last time (that Shakib is playing). As far as I know, he is playing the South Africa series,” Hathurusingha said. “I think succession plans are always there, especially at this stage of his career. We are all surprised that he said that (South Africa) is his last series. You are not getting like-for-like replacement for someone like Shakib.”