It is important that we prepare to win the Test and we should take advantage of home conditions: N Shanto

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto threw his weight behind spin-friendly wickets at home, even though his team lost the second Test against New Zealand while the spinners, who took 30 of the 36 wickets that fell during the game, had a significant advantage on the surface for the second Test in Dhaka.

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto threw his weight behind spin-friendly wickets at home, even though his team lost the second Test against New Zealand.

On a more adaptable surface, Bangladesh had won the first Test in Sylhet by a margin of 150 runs, offering something for everyone. However, the spinners, who took 30 of the 36 wickets that fell during the game, had a significant advantage on the surface for the second Test in Dhaka.

“I don’t think (that the decision to play on a spin-friendly wicket backfired),”

Najmul told reporters at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Saturday. 

“When we play Tests, we are not here to improve. This is not a place for practice. We are trying to win the Test. It is important that we prepare to win the Test and we should take advantage of home conditions.

“There was both turn and bounce. It was difficult for the batters. We have to enjoy these challenges as batters. We wanted this wicket. As a batting group, it was important how we could have taken the team forward on the strength of big partnerships. I hope batters will enjoy these conditions in the future.

“It wasn’t a very helpful wicket for bowlers in Sylhet. Bowlers had to bowl well and batters had to work hard for their runs. There was a bit of help for both bowlers and batters. But we didn’t bat well in Dhaka. We should have scored 230-240 runs in the first innings. The wicket seemed bad because we got 172. New ball was a challenge, but that’s also true anywhere around the world. It wasn’t anything different here, but we could have avoided this situation if we batted better in the first innings.”

Najmul said that playing on decent wickets at home in limited-over formats is the aim but things operate differently in Test cricket.

“We should always play on good pitches in white-ball formats at home. If we want to play well in big tournaments and compete against big teams at home and abroad. There were good wickets in BPL last season. When we will play on better wickets, we will improve in white-ball cricket. But red-ball has a different plan,”

he said.

Najmul also considered his first-ever experience as the team’s captain.

“Firstly, I am very proud of how everyone played in the two Tests. Everyone had great body language in the second test. I am happy with the way the fielders and bowlers applied pressure despite defending 137 runs,”

said Najmul.

“To be honest, I don’t think about my captaincy when I am batting. I don’t think if I have to do anything differently. It hasn’t occurred to me in these matches that I have led (since September). I hope I can continue in this way. I try to focus on my plans after my batting, whether on or off the field,” he added.

“I have learned a lot. I will have more such experiences in the future.

“There are places for improvement, especially in our batting. I won’t say no improvement is taking place and there are a few new players. Our newcomers didn’t look nervous. Everyone tried to play for the team.

“Carrying these players is a matter for the selectors. The players here had good approaches and body language. Most importantly, everyone wanted to win these two matches. From that point of view, we played well as a team. If we can continue with this team, the Test team will go far ahead,” he said.

Tim Southee was a happy captain as he entered the post-match press conference after an exciting run chase on Day 4 of the second Test, which resulted in a series-equaling victory in Dhaka. 

Southee was pleased with his team’s effort to counter spin, especially Glenn Phillips’s performance with the bat and ball. Southee had expected a surface that would be favorable to spin on the eve of the Test.

“On a pretty difficult wicket, there are pretty good things to take out of it. Obviously, Glenn Phillips’s effort throughout the match, his innings in the first innings was obviously crucial to keep us in the game and get us past Bangladesh in the first innings,”

said Southee, appreciating Phillips’s effort. 

“He’s still young in his spin career and the impact he’s had with the ball in this series has been pleasing.

“We obviously didn’t get the big scores that we would like, but on a wicket like that, 20-30 run partnerships here and there go a long way. And Ajaz obviously, in spin-friendly conditions, showed his class in picking up six wickets.”

Southee highlighted that despite Phillips’ lack of experience playing Test cricket in Asian conditions, his approach to the game and his performance in other formats in a variety of conditions had contributed to his success.

“He’s a very positive guy in the way he plays. It’s a different format, he still trusted that his way was the right way. So, I think it’s pleasing to see on a difficult wicket, which I think, I look back to a few of his innings and a lot of his great innings have been on difficult wickets,”

said Southee, giving insights into Phillip’s prowess in difficult conditions. 

“He does exceptionally well in the CPL on tricky wickets, I think back to one-day innings in Pakistan at the start of the year on a tricky wicket. He has a way of doing special things on tricky wickets. So, I think it’s just his positive mindset on a wicket like that was very crucial.”

Southee called the pitch where his team leveled the series “probably the worst” he had ever played on.

“There are a number of ways I could describe that wicket. I think for the match to be all over in 170 overs is a fair reflection on the wicket. It wasn’t great. I think there wasn’t an even battle between bat and ball. Probably the worst wicket I’ve come across in my career,”

Southee said.

“I think when you come to this part of the world, especially for us, the conditions are so foreign, particularly this Test match, very foreign to what we’re used to,”

said Southee, pleased with his team’s performance in adverse conditions. 

“And I guess to lose the toss as well, and then to come out on top on a wicket like that was very pleasing. Like I said, many different guys have stepped up in different ways, and it’s nice to bounce back after the first test.

“I think (it was) just a scrappy test match. Runs were hard to come by. And just those little moments and partnerships throughout were crucial, whereas, in other matches, I guess when conditions are a little bit more even between bat and ball, they don’t get noticed as much. But for the guys to come out and scrap and fight on a pretty tricky surface and come out with the win was pretty pleasing.”