Ashraful might be Out

[amar11432]

A few hard decisions need to be taken. Mohammad Ashraful has played 51 Tests. How many is too many for him? The other day Akram Khan, a national selector, offered a hint. "We have been forced to stick with him because there aren't enough senior players around," he told Cricinfo. "We have had good players like Raqibul, Tamim and Shakib come in and they are established players now. But we don't have too many senior players, so we have been forced to stick with Ashraful. Obviously, if he doesn't score consistently now, we will have to think again."

Full Article

Bangladesh impress, but doubts linger

For a team that doesn't play a lot of Tests, Bangladesh did really well. But hard decisions need to be taken

Sriram Veera in Chittagong

January 21, 2010

Will Bangladesh be satisfied with their performance or will they see it as an opportunity lost to put more pressure on India? Mushfiqur Rahim, the man who hit his maiden Test hundred and gave Bangladesh something to cheer about, chose to look at the positives.

"We nearly took 20 wickets. Our pace bowlers did the job and Shakib [Al Hasan], as always, contributed a lot. Tamim Iqbal batted really well too," he said before pinpointing the problem that led Bangladesh squander a great chance. "If some of [the] other top-order batsmen can also score some runs, we can do really well in the second Test."

A few hard decisions need to be taken. Mohammad Ashraful has played 51 Tests. How many is too many for him? The other day Akram Khan, a national selector, offered a hint. "We have been forced to stick with him because there aren't enough senior players around," he told Cricinfo. "We have had good players like Raqibul, Tamim and Shakib come in and they are established players now. But we don't have too many senior players, so we have been forced to stick with Ashraful. Obviously, if he doesn't score consistently now, we will have to think again."

Shariar Nafees really looked very shaky to be batting at No. 3. Was it just nerves of bveing on comeback or was it something more than that? Should Mahmudullah be pushed up the order? Does the Vettori of Bangladesh, Shakib, need to go one spot above or is he perfect where he is? Does Mushfiqur need to bat slightly higher? He answered that one himself. "It's a management decision. I guess, in Tests, it doesn't get easy to keep for 100 overs and bat at No's 3 or 4. I will do what my team wants."

However, for a team that doesn't play a lot of Tests, Bangladesh did really well. There were quite a few special moments. Shakib's bowling was as nagging as ever. His twin dismissals of Virender Sehwag must have been as special a moment for him as it was for the fans who saw it as a perfect revenge for what Sehwag said before the match.

Rubel Hossain, in an impressive spell post lunch on fourth day, removed Sachin Tendulkar and reminded Yuvraj Singh that he still had a lot to do before he is seen as a genuine Test batsman. On a flat track, Rubel hit Yuvraj once on the back of the head and hurried him on a few other occasions.

Tamim Iqbal, since his "turning point" hundred against West Indies has been walking the talk. He wants to learn to bat long and he has been doing that of late. It was a fine performance in the second innings; he found almost the right balance between aggression and defense and you couldn't really cuss him for the shot that he got out to. It was there to be hit, but he didn't execute his thought properly. Shahadat Hossain, who is still trying to come to terms with his action changes, got wickets and Shafiul Islam, despite not being among the wickets, was the best Bangladeshi seamer on view in the first innings.

And who can forget Mushfiqur's furious counter-attacking knock? "They called me a school boy," he said with a smile at what the Indians told him when he was batting at the end of a memorable day. It wasn't a complaint, just a reply to a direct question on the issue. "It's part of the game. I like when people sledge me. I didn't say anything back, just wanted to answer with my bat."

He does look like a schoolboy and has a sense of a charming naughtiness of one about him, be it while keeping batting or even while addressing the press. He is a live wire and the heart of Bangladesh when they are on the field with his constant chatter from behind the stumps. Bangladesh would do well if they had more Mushfiqurs.

Sriram Veera is a staff writer at Cricinfo
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[Nafi]

cricinfo doesnt own the team.

[amar11432]

Originally Posted by Nafi
cricinfo doesnt own the team.

Cricinfo is just reporting while the statement was said by Akram Khan, a national selector.

[revolver]

halaluia halaluia halaluia halaluia

[akabir77]

very good report.

[Eshen]

Nah, from what Akram Khan said, I get the impression that Ashraful will get at least one more match.

[Roni_uk]

Well as if, we have a choice? Ashraful is a gamble for us, if not him, who will it be - Aftab - lol?

[Zunaid]

Originally Posted by Roni_uk
Well as if, we have a choice? Ashraful is a gamble for us, if not him, who will it be - Aftab - lol?

Drop Ash. Stop gap measure and get Rajin Saleh for the #3 spot. Either drop SN for now until he has had a few more long form games under his belt and get Naeem in his stead or drop him down one spot.

[simon]

For the 2nd test It will be SN to get out but with this kind of comment from the selector of dropping Ash will make him score well in the 2nd test.
That's what he does when he reaches the dead end.

[LateCut]

Why not bring back Basher? Am I the only one with this crazy thought?

[amar11432]

Yeah, SN need to be out before Ash.

[Timtim]

Originally Posted by amar11432
Yeah, SN need to be out before Ash.

Whats your reason?

[Zunaid]

Originally Posted by LateCut
Why not bring back Basher? Am I the only one with this crazy thought?

Not necessarily.

We have two potential openings for Test slots: Ash - perhaps his time is past. SN - brought back in too early (not his fault really)

And if we do consider our Academy/A-team/Domestic competitions as a pipeline to bring in players into the National fold, why not look at the peak performers during the current national league:

Name Matches Inns Not Out Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St
Asif Ahmed (Bar) 2 4 1 223 108 74.33 1 1 3
Rajin Saleh (Syl) 2 3 0 218 112 72.66 1 1 0
Jahurul Islam (Rjshi) 2 2 0 188 139 94.00 1 0 2
Faisal Hossain (Chit) 2 3 0 169 73 56.33 0 2 2
Farhad Hossain (Rjshi) 2 2 1 147 94* 147.00 0 2 3
Habibul Bashar (Khul) 2 3 0 137 69 45.66 0 2 0
Naeem Islam (Rjshi) 1 1 1 123 123* 1 0 0
Marshall Ayub (Dh) 2 3 1 110 52* 55.00 0 1 0

[Neel Here]

DROP ASH DROP ASH DROP ASH DROP ASH DROP ASH DROP ASH. drop him now and there's a chance you'll get back a good player after 1 year.

[Eshen]

BTW, Naeem is not playing for Rajshahi in current round of NCL. I wonder if he is asked to join national team camp.

[amar11432]

Originally Posted by Timtim
Whats your reason?

Following cricket for the past 2-4 year avidly, I was never impress by SN and never understood why some people hypes him up. And as of now is there anyone better out there to replace Ash with?

[dolcevita]

Naeem Islam (Rjshi) 1 1 1 123 123* 1 0 0
we must drop ash or SN and give naeem a chance

[Tigers_eye]

Asif, Jaharul, Ayub, Shamsur not yet ready will see butterflies. They have to break in to the ODI side first.

Naeem, is the one who will not shy out to face Sharma, Zaheer and Harbhajan.

[EcrickeT]

Excellent commentary by Sriram Veera!!

[amar11432]

Yes bring in Naeem for SN.

[ahms]

Originally Posted by Zunaid
Drop Ash. Stop gap measure and get Rajin Saleh for the #3 spot. Either drop SN for now until he has had a few more long form games under his belt and get Naeem in his stead or drop him down one spot.

Naeem is not a test material, period. Gamble with old folks like Rajib is not a smart idea. Keep the team as it is, lets give chance to 1/2 from newer generation e.g. National Academy Team or U19. Off course, not in this series but may be later in the year. In a way we do not have to go back and forth, we can give rest to Ash/SN once for all. I do not mind to give a chance to Marshall Ayub.

[Tigers_eye]

Originally Posted by ahms
Naeem is not a test material period. ....

Now why would you say that? Do you know how many first class matches he played? How many centuries and half centuries he has?

Little knowledge is dangerous!! He played more first class matches and has better stats than Tamim, Zunaed, Shakib and Mushi with the bat. Riyad is at par with him.

[shajib14]

If selectors are proactive enough they should bring Naeem Islam and Saqlain Shajib for the next test instead of Ash and Rubel. BTW Welcome to BC Ecricket.

[AsifTheManRahman]

Originally Posted by ahms
Naeem is not a test material, period.

Interesting. What makes you think so?

[Zunaid]

Originally Posted by ahms
Naeem is not a test material, period.

Care to elaborate?

Originally Posted by ahms
Gamble with old folks like Rajib is not a smart idea. Keep the team as it is, lets give chance to 1/2 from newer generation e.g. National Academy Team or U19. Off course, not in this series but may be later in the year. In a way we do not have to go back and forth, we can give rest to Ash/SN once for all. I do not mind to give a chance to Marshall Ayub.

I think there is value in experience. Anyone from U19 should not get an in until they are 024. As for Ayub, he is a potential candidate; I will give you that.