Should India be wary of the ‘fittest’ Bangladesh team? Pakan’s Bazid Khan reasons | Cricket News

For Bazid Khan the one thing that stood out about the Bangladesh cricket team during their horical series win over Pakan was their “physical fitness”.“It was the fitness level. We generally don’t play test matches in August. The humidity level was very high, it was taxing conditions for Test cricket but the way they played was exceptional. Physically this time around they were a far superior side than Pakan in conditions which were not suited for Test cricket,” Bazid told The Indian Express.
Former Pakan cricketer turned commentator feels although it will be tough for them to beat India in Indian conditions but this Bangladesh side can’t be taken lightly.
“We have always associated Bangladesh with the spinners. Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Shakib Al Hasan are probably two of the finest all-rounders in the world but it is their fast-bowling stock, which will help them threaten the top teams of the world.
“Watching Bangladesh over the years, you always think that there will be a collapse around the corner. Maybe there will be a session, which will not go their way and they will panic. But they showed an immaculate level of concentration. Mushfiqur Rahim scored an excellent 191 and at no stage, there was a drop in concentration. The concentration correlates to fitness,” he said.
Bangladesh’s players pose for photograph after winning test cricket series against Pakan, in Rawalpindi, Pakan, Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024. (AP/PTI)
“Even with Litton Das, who got runs in both the Test matches. In the second Test, he scored a hundred, when Bangladesh were reeling at 26 for 6. He kept for the all the day and then had to pad up very quickly. It was again a very testing condition, extremely humid, and he showed an immense level of concentration which allowed him to play an innings of high quality, which turned out to be a series-winning knock.”
This Bangladesh team has shown that they have the quality fast bowlers who can threaten many a top order. Bazid reckons fitness has helped them to be at their venomous in all spells.
“Be it Nahid Rana, Taskin Ahmed, or Hasan Mahmud, even if they were coming back for their second, third and fourth spell, they never looked tired. The pace never dropped. It tells you that they have got the miles in their legs and obviously they have bowled so many overs in the nets and first-class that they were able to sustain the pressure of a Test match.”
Nahid Rana came back in this third spell and was still bowling in his 140s. And not to forget they were playing a Test match in August, we generally don’t play Test matches in August.
The Alan Donald effect
Bangladesh’s fast bowling stock also impressed Bazid and credited this shift to their former bowling coach Alan Donald.
“A year ago, during the Asia Cup, I was fortunate enough to interview Alan Donald and he was stressing the fact that Bangladesh have made a massive shift towards fast bowling. He categorically mentioned Hasan Mahmud’s name. He rated him very highly,” recollected Bazid.
Bazid also stressed upon the fact that this fast-bowling revolution has not happened overnight in Bangladesh.
“Donald called Hasan a very good prospect. He said this a year ago, he must be working with him for at least two years. Alan Donald not only worked with the main crop of the bowlers, who were in the senior team, but he worked with those who were playing in the domestic. He created a pool of fast bowlers. He was monitoring 50-60 fast bowlers individually,” said Bazid. “I think they have made a conscious effort to win overseas Tests. They don’t only have these three names that we are seeing, they have a solid back up as well. It is not a fluke, they have invested and have been working on this for the past three years,” he added.
Bazid also pointed out the skillsets of the Bangladesh pacers, who executed their plans to perfection in the two Rawalpindi Tests.
“Their fast bowlers bowled with accuracy as well. Who would have thought that Bangladesh pacers would take all ten wickets on a Rawalpindi pitch? And out of that 10, eight of them were behind the wicket. Their accuracy was splendid. Hasan is a seam bowler, Taskin moves the ball, and then there is Nahid Rana, who is touching 150. Horically Bangladesh had never produced a bowler like Nahid,” he said.
“Nahid Rana knows his strength. After the first innings in the first Test, he bowled exceptionally well. He made a slight change in his length after the first innings, where he was a bit wayward. Hasan Mahmud whenever he got the ball, he knew exactly what length to hit. This is not a process, you execute in three or six months. It has been a long road for them.”