Kanpur: Despite Bangladesh misfiring in the opening Test against India, the focus was largely on Shakib Al Hasan. The former skipper, apparently playing with an injury, wasn’t at his best, and that ended up becoming the biggest talking point.
One Bangladeshi journalist even left captain Najmul Hossain Shanto stumped when the scribe brought up dropping one of the country’s greatest cricketers at the post-match press conference.
The team management, too, isn’t divulging on whether Shakib is really injured and the circus continued to Kanpur too with questions surrounding his fitness and availability.
“I haven't heard anything officially or any complaints (from Shakib),” coach Chandika Hathurusingha, totally expecting it, said at the Green Park Stadium here on Wednesday. "I haven't heard from my physio or from anyone. He's still eligible for selection.”
When asked pointedly whether he’s disappointed with Shakib’s performance, who went for 50 runs in 8 overs in the first innings and 79 in 13 overs in the second innings without bagging a single wicket, Hathurusingha blamed the entire team for the 280-run defeat, especially the batters.
“I'm upset about not about his performance but our overall performance as we could have done better. I'm sure that he also thinks that he can perform better. We all know what he's capable of. I think he batted really well in the second innings. He couldn't go on, not because of lack of pride but the sheer quality of the opposition.
“I'm sure the players are more disappointed as well. They wanted to do better. And we actually didn't do justice to our talent or our potential in the last game. Last few games, we didn't get a start as well. Some of the guys got 30 balls, and then in cricket, when you get in (you have to cash it in) because the hardest thing is to get in. But then, this team, India, has been posing different challenges, so we know that as well. So we have to be bat for longer period.”
Published 25 September 2024, 17:41 IST