Saleque Sufi By any extent of imagination the just concluded Bangladesh Pakistan Cricket Series is the best ever in the cricket history of Bangladesh. Of the 7 matches in different formats played Bangladesh won 5, earned a highly respectable draw and poorly lost the last test. The three ODIs and T20 that Bangladesh won were all very comprehensively. Pakistan is far superior team in T20 and Test. Bangladesh achieved several milestones, even created few world records. Though it did not end well but we must realize losing a test to the number three ICC Ranked test team having some world class performers cannot be a great disappointment. Yes there can be extensive discussion on wicket prepared , team selection , players lack of application , absence of match planning , mind set and so on . Nevertheless the series has taken Bangladesh cricket to new heights. Knowledgeable cricket admirers know that Pakistan even with absence of international cricket in Pakistan for security concerns is a potent force in world cricket. Not too long back Pakistan comprehensively beaten strong Australia in UAE in almost all formats. Injury, retirement and disciplinary action against some key players reasonably depleted their ODI team .But it still retained some world class Performers. The manner Bangladesh destroyed their pride in three ODI back to back loudly announced the maturity of a very strong Bangladesh ODI team for any opposition in Bangladesh condition. All experienced players performed and new emerging players played fearless exciting cricket. Bangladesh never won any match against Pakistan in bilateral contest before .Their only win against them was in World Cup tournament in 1999. This series saw them winning ODI, whitewashing Pakistan in ODI , winning the first T20 and even drawing the first ever test against Pakistan. The manner they bounced back from a deep hole in the second innings creating world record at Khulna test was memorable. No team ever could come back so strongly after being 296 runs in arrears in test cricket. Whatever be the nature of the wicket Pakistan had world class pacers and spinners to exploit it. Batting of Tamim, Kayes, Shakib and the team was exemplary in the second innings of Khulna test.But yes bowling was a concern. Excepting Taijul no one could impress on the Pakistan batting Test cricket is all together a different format which is the ultimate frontier of cricket. Bangladesh domestic cricket is not really appropriate for producing quality test players. The wickets are flat, low and breaks, matches are not truly competitive. Bangladesh wickets are grave yards for pace bowlers. Slow low wickets make pace bowlers bend their backs and cause frequent injuries. There could be only one Mashrafee who could defy his physical constraints to move on. Several other potential pacers came and went without proper care and attention. Playing on such wickets Bangladesh cannot expect to beat higher ranked teams in test cricket. Moreover, selection process is faulty and sometimes biased. There is hardly any planning in place. Some players are consistently performing with both bat and the ball in domestic cricket but they are sadly overlooked. If domestic cricket is not the measure of getting selected then what else players can do to impress the selectors? We were aware that Zubayer was developing as a potential match winner in all formats. But in local cricket his team mostly kept him confined in the side lined. He was overlooked for world cup. There were several reports of difference of opinion between Selection committee and head coach over omission of Zubayer from world cup squad. Then what actually happened with potential pace bowler Al Amin? BCB owes an explanation. He could be an ideal test bowling partner for Shahid in Dhaka test. On the backdrop of above let us discuss Dhaka Test where Bangladesh miserably lost. First comes the wicket. On bilateral series home team has prerogative to prepare the wicket. The strength and weakness of home team are taken into due consideration while preparing the wicket. Was Dhaka Test wicket prepared to suit Bangladesh team? Was it not tailor made for Pakistani bowling unit having three genuine pacers and one quality leg spinner. If we look into Bangladesh team what they had? A rookie pacer playing only the second test and a match unfit pacer making his comeback after a long time. Why not a genuine third pacer picked? Pakistan dropped left arm spinner Zulfiqur Babar, overlooked their match winning off spinner Saeed Ajmal and included a third seam bowler Imran. Anyone who played some cricket in Meerpoor stadium knows that the wicket breaks on the third and fourth day. Batting last becomes an issue. Bangladesh won the toss and with 8 genuine batsmen and very lean pace attack (became still leaner after first over) elected to field. If a team has 8 genuine batsmen why they should get scared of opposition bowling. Especially after batting so well only few days back? Bangladesh dug their own grave opting to field and experienced Pakistan team batted professionally to bat Bangladesh out of the game. The heat and humidity over the first day and three quarter took lot of energy and steam out of Bangladesh. Defending against run mountain batting collapsed in the first innings. Only some lusty hitting by Shakib was saving grace. Intelligent Pakistan captain Misbah did not enforce the follow on to avoid the possibly of batting last and presented Bangladesh an impossible task to even bat and save the match. The outcome of the match was evident even at stumps on the second day. But a total commitment and a better fight was expected. But the way Bangladesh batsmen excepting little genius Mominul succumbed and surrendered beggar description. It was ridiculously out of character batting. We do not like to take away any credit from brilliant Paksiatni bowling and wonderful Msbah captaincy. But Bangladesh could show better character and go down fighting. The series is done and dusted. We have huge moments of glory and few moments of despair. We now have to prepare for greater challenges. In a month’s from now another sub continental giants India is coming. India is much better organized and settled team in all formats. We have lot to prove against India. The lone test will be played first at Fatullah.We need to seriously think about test team composition. Tamim and Kayes are in prolific form .No one will suggest to change the opening partnership. Mominul at number three is the ideal test batsman. But did Mahamudullah bat to his full potential in the series. He scored two brilliant centuries in World Cup. I would suggest playing wicket keeper batsman Liton K Das at number four. Mushfique and Shakib can alternate at five and six depending on match situation. Nasir or Shabbir must be brought back at number seven. Liton should keep wickets relieving Mushfique. With injured fingers he batted poorly in both the innings at Dhaka test. Liton is a prolific scorer in domestic cricket. Soumya experience failed as he is not accustomed to playing so low down the order.Let him grow in shorter version of the game for a while. We should play with three pace bowlers and a genuine off spinner say Sohag Gazi or leg spinner Zubayer in the test. Skaib’s bowling in test is a concern .Opposition has figured him out. It will be a serious dilemma to drop Taijul as he looked the only bowler to take wicket apart from Shahid in test. Rubel, Shahid and I will suggest Taskin should play if the wicket is like what we saw at Dhaka. If not Bangladesh may play with two pacers and two spinners. To me Shakib could have preferred skipping the remaining matches of IPL and rather play BCL to work on his bowling. We are not sure that he will have much batting opportunity for KKR and he is batting well also. We need to perform well in test against India. If we fail to do that that may affect our performance in ODI and T20. All Indian players will come fresh from IPL. The Following should be the squad for Test against India Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Mominul Haque, Liton K Das, Mushfiur Rahim , Shakib Al Hasan , Shabbir /Nasir , Mahmuduallh Riad , Zubayer Hossain, Taijul Islam , Rubel Hossain, Mohammad Shahid , Taskin Ahmed / Al Amin, Sohag Gazi.