From the Diary of a Bangladesh Pacer

Bangladesh is no more the minnows; in the last couple of years, they scaled new heights, albeit in limited-over cricket.

Despite flourishing sessions, The Tigers struggle to remain consistent. They did manage a win against England (the series that followed the Dhaka terror attacks), but lost two to New Zealand and currently, on the verge of embarrassment against India.

What could be the problem area for a side that flaunts wicket-taking bowlers (speedsters and spinners)? Taskin Ahmed – the 21-year-old raw pace battery – believes it is the perfect stage for Bangladesh to improve their game for they are up against the number one side, but they are not used to such flat wickets.

“Cricket is not a game for one or two, it is a team effort and when you play against the best team, the whole unit needs to deliver. It is not a question of me doing well or Shakib Al Hasan (undoubtedly the trump card). It is a great occasion for us (playing in India). The boys are excited after a long time. This is a great opportunity to show some character and skill, we have to match up,” said Ahmed.

The speedster’s prediction about Hasan causing a rampage on Indian soil fell flat. The southpaw did contribute with bat (82) but couldn’t disturb the wood. “But I am hopeful that we can still create a few chances. We all know that any team on their home soil is dangerous,” he added.

It is understandable that Bangladesh didn’t have enough time to sit back and repair their weaknesses before the India Test. They almost flew in from New Zealand. “I would still say that the preparation has been good, we utilized the facilities in India and had a good session before the start of the Test.”

The old school cricket pundits usually say that a Test match is about sessions. Even if the team loses the Test, they can still rewind and monitor the session that they dominated, to execute the plans better in the next game. But Ahmed sees it differently.

“It is not about one or five sessions, you need to be switched on in every session, otherwise, the results won’t come,” he reasoned.

Ahmed, basking in the glory of the team’s sudden surge in world cricket, doesn’t care about losing as long as it comes with a lesson. “It is important to hold on to the momentum. We need to have that with us; we need to put pressure on our opponents, hopefully the boys will be able to do that soon. It is still a learning process for us,” he said.

Though Virat Kohli slammed a double hundred (204), Ahmed believes it is all about knowing a batsman’s weak points. “He is the most dangerous batsman but he is also someone who can be dismissed in the first ball,” he asserted.

Reeling at 255/6 on Day Three (tea), trailing by 432 runs (India declared at 687/6). So far, Ahmed’s plans seem confined within the press conference. But he can make a comeback provided India bats for the second time.