Let's talk about the First XI for the Chittagong test

[WarWolf]

From TC

Tushar Imran is down with the viral flu that has already affected a number of Bangladesh players and left-arm paceman Syed Rasel are the ones left out of the 14-member Test squad.

So Bashar seems to play and either Mehrab Jr. or Rajin will be in the squad.

[cricman]

Shahriar Nafees
Mehrab Hossain Jr.
Habibul Bashar
Mohammad Ashraful
Sakibul Hasan
Rajin Saleh
Khaled Mashud
Mashrafee Mortaza
Mohammed Rafique
Enamul Haque Jr.
Shahadat Hossain

Thats the best possible XI, but Javed will probably get the nod over Mehrab and in terms of Batting Rafique will bat ahead of Masri.

[Sohel]

i hope our fears are proven wrong on the playing field and we're blessed with a few pleasant surprises. mash'll be there as always, the true bagher bachcha that he is. ash will do something great. enamul and shahriar nafees may or may not, and HaBa and his buddy Golla, i PRAY that i'm shooting myself at the foot here, won't... GO TIGERS!!!

[Fazal]

Assuming bashar have 'running something' and unfortunately unable to play (last minute decesion). Here is the best possible Team (ofcourse based on my own judgement) :

1. Gullu/ Shahriar Nafees (with SN's current form, I don't care who plays. But I would like to give SN one chance out of two tests)
2. Mehrab Hossain Jr.
3. Tushar
4. Mohammad Ashraful
5. Sakibul Hasan
6. Farhad Reza
7. Khaled Mashud (ofcourse against my will. I would rather have Rahim instead)
8. Mashrafee Mortaza
9. Mohammed Rafique
10. Enamul Haque Jr.
11. Shahadat Hossain ( if Shahadat fails I will try Rasel in 2nd Test)

[Miraz]

Bangladesh already declared 12 man squad leaving Syed Rasel and Tushar out.

Mehrab is likely to sit out from the playing XI.

[Sohel]

Originally Posted by Tokyobreeze
This one looks better to me. Though I reckon JO will be there in the place of Mehrab. But, I would love to see this line up play.

facing the facts at hand, i'd play mehrab also. although he too is a shaky, strokless wonder similar to golla, he has youth on his side, and slightly better technique around the leg side. i still think alok should play... too late for wishful thinking, i guess... someday...

GO TIGERS !!!

[zahid]

My choice

1. JO
2. Mehrab Hossain Jr.
3. Tushar Imran
4. Ashraful
5. Sakib
6. Pilot
7. Habla
8. Rafique
9. Mashrafe
10. Enamul Haque Jr.
11. Rasel

[kalpurush]

Originally Posted by Miraz
Bangladesh already declared 12 man squad leaving Syed Rasel and Tushar out.

Mehrab is likely to sit out from the playing XI.

If JO could hold his wkt for the 1st day, I would not mind Mehrab's exclusion from the playing XI!...looks a good fighting squad.

[SS]

Not sure yet if Rajin is playing! Looks like if SN,JO,Bashar,Sakib,Ash,Pilot,Rafique,Mash,Rajib,En amul play Rajin can play.
we got only 4 bowlers + Sakib. Too much predictable SLA combo, offie or leggie would have been a help!! If we bat first I hope JO plays an innings of his lifetime staying the whole day..not sure if he can do it! If he can we probably will score 300 otherwise with no practice playing longer version I see little hope in our batting. IND on the other hand will post 550 score if they bat first and then will declare.

[al Furqaan]

mehrab
SN
bashar
rajin
ash
saqib
mash
pilot
rafiq
rajib
enam

[Dhakablues]

Pilot/Rafique has Test centuries against West Indies. To think that they cant bat would be a foolish thought. Whether they can repeat that performance after 3 years is another question.. Things have changed alot for Pilot. But isnt Test cricket more about taking that 20 precious wickets than 'that extra 30 runs' we wish we could've scored? Multan we lost because of that 1 wicket,,, Australia we lost because of that missed catch and couldnt take the wicket of Gillespie. Rarely was it that we lost a match because of that 50-70 runs the batsman couldnt score more. For Bangladesh, it has always been the case of not being able to take the 20 wickets in 5 days. This time round,, who knows?

[Murad]

Mehrab is the 12th man.. as ittefaq mentioned...

[sheikh]

I think most of you wont agree with me..but I had always a feeling that we need to play test matches with three good openers. Now that we have the chance..my 11 will be as follows:
1. Javed
2. Nafees
3. Mehrab
4. Bashar
5. Ashraful
6. Sakib
7. Pilot
8. Mashrafee
9. Rafique
10. Enamul
11. Rajib

[SherKhan]

whats the weather situation in chittagong?

[Ehsan]

If one of our good batsman had the ability to keep, then I would have picked Syed Russel instead of Masud. I hope mushfique grows up a good batsman in both version of the game as a batsman.

[Mahir]

Originally Posted by Ehsan
If one of our good batsman had the ability to keep, then I would have picked Syed Russel instead of Masud.

That's something that should not be encouraged in Test cricket for any team, especially for Bangladesh. It is the format of the game where keeper plays a vital role, unlike in ODIs where a batsman with good keeping abilities can be called upon to do the job, like Rahul Dravid did for India. In Tests, a team should have their main specialist keeper.

[amra_korbo_joy]

With out 5 regular bowlers, how Bangladesh will take 20 wickets, I do not get it. Besides Rasel gives the break through. He has lot of variations and very clever bowler. Second disagreement is selecting out of form SN instead of Maharab jnr.

[SherKhan]

Will there be a game today??

[nzfan]

i expect a good innings from bashar today, odi form does not mean a thing in tests

[nzfan]

mahir is right when SL came to new zealand sangakarra was a batsman only in test matches and they had a specialist keeper

[Ehsan]

Originally Posted by Mahir
That's something that should not be encouraged in Test cricket for any team, especially for Bangladesh. It is the format of the game where keeper plays a vital role, unlike in ODIs where a batsman with good keeping abilities can be called upon to do the job, like Rahul Dravid did for India. In Tests, a team should have their main specialist keeper.

I am much aware of it. But I do not personally think Masud has much life remaining with the keeping as well, so I would have preferred a batsman with keeping ability. But note that I actually do want one of our upcoming keepers (mushfique included) to become a good batsman in both version of the game. This will ensure that we do not carry a burden on the team.

[Mahir]

Originally Posted by Ehsan
I am much aware of it. But I do not personally think Masud has much life remaining with the keeping as well, so I would have preferred a batsman with keeping ability. But note that I actually do want one of our upcoming keepers (mushfique included) to become a good batsman in both version of the game. This will ensure that we do not carry a burden on the team.

yup. and its not to be denied that Mashud is fazing, but i do want to insist that he can handle the load in the Test arena while Mushy develops further. He has already established his place in ODIs, and so while we give him a bit more time, Pilot can carry on in the Tests, atleast with his top-class glovework. Also it can be noted that Mashud used to be one of the most fit players in the team.

[Ehsan]

Yes, Mahir, Pilot was one of the players I used to like. I hope he delivers with the bat as well, at best he may have 2-3 years more in him for Test cricket. And I hope he retires with dignity!

[Fazal]

If Richard McInnes becomes the coach, you can pretty much say good bye to Pilot after this series. Why?

1. Pilot is already in bad terms with the current selectors.
2. Pilot is loosing his form quicker than flood water. And most likely he is not going to get his form back in this series.
3. Richard McInnes believed in dog-house for trouble maker players. And Pilot already signed in that guest-book (of the dog-house) when McInnes was coaching the national team while Dav was taking off.

Further more, someone noticed a Bhuri in Ash's tummy. Ash better get rid of that Bhuri... sooner than later. Thats not the way to impress a new coach like McInnes who give high prioity to player's fitness and food-habit.

Finally its not a good news for Bashar also. He will not allow lazy fielder, dump-as[] captaincy and off-form players in his team.

[sadi]

In another two weeks starting from tonight, we will find out whether its time for Pilot and Bashar to go or not.