“Bangladesh’s Defeat: Nazmul Highlights Test Match Essentials”
Live Cricket Updates:”After the defeat, the team and Nazmul were reminded of the ‘first condition’ to win a Test match.”
Ashwin Ravichandran, four on his name, had waited patiently to get the fifth. Left-handed Najmul Hossain was 67 not out at the other end. Ashwin is the top left-arm wicket-taking bowler in Tests. But two reverse-sweep fours off the most successful left-hand killer were already in Najmul’s kitty a few overs ago. Although it was a risk, it was a riskless one on a turning pitch.
Live Cricket Scores: Najmul drove in the opposite direction on the fifth ball of the 54th over. Back on his feet to Ashwin’s flight, he straight-driven. It was almost a six but not quite. The ball traveled for one bounce and slammed into the sight screen with so much force that the sound was heard clear and loud from the press box. World-class fielder Ravindra Jadeja was at long-off with his mouth wide open. He was discussing with himself, “He struck Ashwin like this even on a fourth-day Chennai pitch!”
Najmul’s 82 in the Chennai Test was Bangladesh batting’s lone silver lining. Something of a similar kind did once occur during his innings that bewildered Venkata Krishna, the sportscaster and The Indian Express writer based out of Chennai. Though well-versed about cricket with Chennai, he couldn’t possibly get anybody’s eyes to this date for being playing a proficiently-played straight drive to counter Ashwin in such a turnery terrain.
It was nice to hear Venkata Krishna, and the indignation against the batting of Bangladesh grew even more. Where was this bash of Najmul’s shots in the first innings? His brilliant 82 in the second innings went in vain for the team. Getting a large score in the first innings is one of the most crucial requirements to win a Test match. Chennai Test loss was a reminder of that, though bitter for Bangladesh. Even with the best of batting conditions, they were 40 for 5 in their first innings and kept going on to get bowled out for 149, with no hope of recovering into the game.
And then, after losing in the match, the Bangladesh captain simply went on talking about the batting failure in the first innings. He asserted the only plain thing: “We did not bat very well in the first innings. One has to bat well in the first innings of a Test match.” In the second innings subsequent to the toppling of the first, Najmul once again went out to bat with a will to oppose, and his choice of strokes seemed rightly across. But apparently, the other members of the team can have no hopes now.
Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim, the experienced middle order duo, were able to contribute a combined 78 runs in the two innings. Litton Das, who was in good touch in Pakistan, was getting out while trying to play shots in the first innings, and yesterday was getting out trying to defend. While Miraz was unconquered on 27 in the first innings, he was caught at the boundary trying to hit out in the second innings. It is also not a frequent occurrence in Bangladeshi cricket to watch top-order batsmen leave the dressing room with heads down after getting out.
Najmul is also on the top order, and he demonstrated playing the new hard ball against the Indian bowling line-up. Now others will have to learn from him. The captain also added, “The first innings batting was a lesson for us. The top order has to be more aware and score more runs. I can stress this learning.”
All the batsmen feel that we can alter the direction for the better in the future. He further went on to say, “There’s always going to be problems with the top order. It is our job, batsmen up the order, to cope with it. How we respond to it is of the highest priority.
Live Cricket Updates:
Two days of practice at Kanpur’s Green Park ahead of the second and conclusive Test of the series on September 27 is what Bangladesh will get. That would not seem adequate to many, though. Although they have been practicing on red soil at Chennai, Kanpur has black soil wickets, it is claimed, for them to fight.
Live Cricket Scores The recent Test series at Kanpur, where India hosted New Zealand in 2021, was a drawn series, and coincidentally, out of 23 Tests India played there, 13 were a draw.
Live Cricket Scores: India will have to whitewash Bangladesh and New Zealand at home before looking towards the Australian tour to reach the final of ICC Test Championship. It would be too much to ask of India to provide the Australian bowlers with a wicket at Kanpur, which shall not prove too bitter a pill for the Bangladesh batting line-up.
The question of greatest interest now is whether the Bangladesh side can meet the first requirement of a Test match by scoring a massive total in their first innings. More.
