Amid heated debate around Najmul Hossain Shanto’s defense of sweep shots, especially after his bold comment, "I know better when to play a shot," Bangladesh’s spin coach Mushtaq Ahmed has stepped in to support the captain's stance. Ahead of the Dhaka Test, Shanto had expressed his belief in playing side shots, particularly sweep and reverse sweep, on spin-friendly pitches. Mushtaq, a legendary former Pakistani spinner, has now echoed this sentiment, stating that such shots are crucial in countering spin-heavy conditions.

Criticism often follows when Bangladeshi batters, especially Shanto, get dismissed while playing sweeps or reverse sweeps. Addressing this, Shanto firmly stated, "If it spins, side shots like sweeps and reverse sweeps are important. People criticize when players get out playing these shots, but they need to understand that these are the shots necessary on such pitches. I have no problem if a player gets out playing the right shot, knowing they prepared well."

Mushtaq Ahmed, using his vast experience, reinforced Shanto's views. He emphasized that on spinning tracks, aggressive shots like sweeps are essential for survival and scoring. "As an Asian spinner, I know if you don’t play sweep, backfoot, or frontfoot properly and try to chase singles, you'll struggle. Those who score 70-100 runs often play a lot of sweeps," said Mushtaq.

He continued, "Today, our batters succeeded by playing these shots. On such pitches, if bowlers bowl well, you have to find ways to score, and sweeping puts pressure on spinners. I am happy with our batters’ attacking options—sweep is a good one."

Earlier, South Africa’s centurion Kyle Verreynne also spoke in favor of the sweep shot after his success against Bangladesh. He even consulted former Bangladesh batting coach Ashwell Prince, now South Africa’s coach, for tips on playing sweeps.