When and how top order batting problem in test cricket will be solved?

[M.H.Rubel]

To succeed as a top order in test cricket, few things are necessary. Those are sharp reflex, good hand eye co-ordination and good foot work. If you have deficiency of one you will have to mitigate by other.
Lot of people here are telling to promote Naeem to #3. Naeem have none of the above. Only mitigating factor he posses is occupying the crease. Promoting this guy to #3 is just a suicide call. Rather keep him at #4.

[Dhakablues]

Naeem survived in Test because it was on a placid wicket.. had it been somewhere in England, Australia, he wouldnt have survived more than 5 overs. But seriously, we dont play test cricket so its a moot point. The question becomes can Mominul play the middle order role? If so, Riad can move to 3, Shakib 4, Mominul 5, Mushfique 6... Anamul+Tamim is now legally married as the opening pair;

[kalpurush]

Originally Posted by M.H.Rubel
In top order,last test series we used SN,Junaid and Nazimuddin. Other than Tamim, none of them looked have the ability to perform in test cricket.
So,When and how we will get the solution of this top order collapse in tests?

Very easy!

> Select the right squad

> Organize longer version cricket in a regular basis
> Make sporting pitch
> Make a proper A- team with players like Taskin, Al-Amin, Sarkar, Liton, Shabbir
> Get rid of the weeds: The likes of Tutul from BCB

[betaar]

Originally Posted by Dhakablues
Naeem survived in Test because it was on a placid wicket.. had it been somewhere in England, Australia, he wouldnt have survived more than 5 overs. But seriously, we dont play test cricket so its a moot point. The question becomes can Mominul play the middle order role? If so, Riad can move to 3, Shakib 4, Mominul 5, Mushfique 6... Anamul+Tamim is now legally married as the opening pair;

I like your order other than having Riyadh at #3. I think he's a sort of batsman who is at his best when there's a crisis....much like Nasir who also thrives under pressure.

Riyadh and Nasir are good partners for the 6th wicket; they compliment each other. Riyadh likes to occupy the crease while Nasir is not afraid of playing shots and usually comes good against older ball at the beginning of his inning.

I'd like to see Mushy batting at #3. Though he's shown weakness facing the new ball and getting bowled but it seems he's gotten better. It's still hard to tell since we have not played away tests for a while but signs of improvement are there for Mushy.

[betaar]

Originally Posted by M.H.Rubel
To succeed as a top order in test cricket, few things are necessary. Those are sharp reflex, good hand eye co-ordination and good foot work. If you have deficiency of one you will have to mitigate by other.
Lot of people here are telling to promote Naeem to #3. Naeem have none of the above. Only mitigating factor he posses is occupying the crease. Promoting this guy to #3 is just a suicide call. Rather keep him at #4.

Please no Nayeem.....now that we have Mominul, who can also bowl, we can get rid of Mokka Nayeem.

[FaHiMa]

^you say that now, but he'll be kept in and play some random chokka naeem innings and everyone will be all gaga over him.

[betaar]

Originally Posted by FaHiMa
^you say that now, but he'll be kept in and play some random chokka naeem innings and everyone will be all gaga over him.

I have never been a fan of Nayeem, chokka or mokka. Of course any good inning played by him would demand praise and I have given my dues to such inning but if one has to judge his potential, he's got none in my book. Given enough chances one for sure will play one good inning but such inning does not warrant a permanent place in the team.

[Gowza]

unless riyad is confident batting higher up he's likely not to perform up the order, needs a positive mindset. nasir i could see batting at #3 but he needs to want to be there and be confident to. otherwise mominul has shown the qualities needed to be there, someone with solid technique who can play aggressive or defend and can fight and grind if needed.

[BengaliPagol]

Originally Posted by M.H.Rubel
If Naeem is promoted to #3. I am sure He will stat to perform so low that ultimately he will not be able to make the 11. So please keep him there and don't ruin his career again.

We cant just 'assume' that he will start to do really badly.

The way Mominul batted in O D I. I am sorry to say he is not yet ready for test cricket.

That great that you made that observation. But what i observed is a batsmen with lots of potential to bat at the top of the order for the national team. The only reason i feel like he didnt play as well as he could have was because he was lacking the confidence to do so. The more time he stays with the national team the better he will perform imo.

For your sake if Anamul bats at #3 and Naeem is at #4 this is how the lineup will look like.

1. Tamim Iqbal
2.
3. Anamul Haque
4. Naeem Islam
5. Shakib Al Hasan
6. Mushiqur Rahim
7. Nasir Hossain
8. Mahmudullah

So now tell me who do you want as #2 batsmen. The great Shahriar Nafees? Or maybe spice it up with Ashraful? Or maybe even Junaid Siddique? Jahurul Islam maybe? What abt Imrul Kayes?

I like the look of the following lineups much better
1. Tamim Iqbal
2. Anamul Haque
3. Naeem Islam
4. Mushfiqur Rahim
5. Shakib Al Hasan
6. Nasir Hossain
7. Mahmudullah

I also wouldnt mind
1. Tamim Iqbal
2. Anamul Haque
3. Mominul Haque
4. Naeem Islam
5. Shakib Al Hasan
6. Mushfiqur Rahim
7. Nasir Hossain
8. Mahmudullah

Mahmudullah to me doesnt seem like a top order batsmen. The highest he could go is #4 imo. Same goes for Nasir due to his technique.

[BengaliPagol]

Originally Posted by M.H.Rubel
That's the point. In test cricket opening is a real tough job. No doubt #2 and #3 in test cricket is far more different. This is not O D I. Tendulker and Ganguly were world famous opener in O D I, still they did not feel easy at top order in test cricket. Opening in test cricket is a specialized job and its a tough job.

Yes opening is a specialised job but that doesnt mean you cant get the job done. As i said Phil Hughes has been an opener for his whole life but atm he is batting at #3 for Aus. Same goes for Watson. He was an opener for a while then he dropped down to #3 and now he is batting at #4.

[BengaliPagol]

I would mind seeing Mushfiq batting at #3.

[M.H.Rubel]

Few days ago Jeeshan Mirza vai wrote an article about players who are able to bat at #3 and #4. That was really very nice article. I am giving the link again. . . . . .
The Anchorman

by Jeeshan Mirza

Published: 6th December, 2012
|



November 25, 2000, Nagpur, India

India and Zimbabwe clashed for the 2nd of a two match test series. India had a comprehensive win in the first match and was expected to repeat the same in Nagpur. A double century from Tendulkar, and a 162 from Dravid took India to a mammoth total of 609 for the loss of six wickets in the first innings. A brave response from Zimbabwe (382 runs) was not sufficient to save them from follow on. With 2 full days left, and against a five man bowling attack which featured Srinath, Zaheer Khan, Agarkar, Sunil Joshi and Sarandeep Singh, Zimbabwe knew they had their work cut out. As Zimbabwe struggled at 3 for 61, India sensed another massive win. Enter Andy Flower. In the next 544 minutes of the test match, Flower denied India what was to be another simple win. Flower hit a patient unbeaten knock of 232 from 444 balls (His career best) to take Zimbabwe to safety. At the end Zimbabwe put up a defiant score of 503 runs for the loss of 6 wickets. The Indians were shocked and bewildered. Ten of their players (Except wicketkeeper) tried their luck with the ball. But they couldn't defeat the perseverance and determination of Andy Flower. Flower retired from the game with an average of over 50 in test cricket and a respectable 35 in ODIs. It must be mentioned that most of these runs were scored against the top test playing nations. . . . . . . . http://www.banglacricket.com/html/fe...e.php?item=579

[M.H.Rubel]

Originally Posted by BengaliPagol
We cant just 'assume' that he will start to do really badly.



That great that you made that observation. But what i observed is a batsmen with lots of potential to bat at the top of the order for the national team. The only reason i feel like he didnt play as well as he could have was because he was lacking the confidence to do so. The more time he stays with the national team the better he will perform imo.

For your sake if Anamul bats at #3 and Naeem is at #4 this is how the lineup will look like.

1. Tamim Iqbal
2.
3. Anamul Haque
4. Naeem Islam
5. Shakib Al Hasan
6. Mushiqur Rahim
7. Nasir Hossain
8. Mahmudullah

So now tell me who do you want as #2 batsmen. The great Shahriar Nafees? Or maybe spice it up with Ashraful? Or maybe even Junaid Siddique? Jahurul Islam maybe? What abt Imrul Kayes?

I like the look of the following lineups much better
1. Tamim Iqbal
2. Anamul Haque
3. Naeem Islam
4. Mushfiqur Rahim
5. Shakib Al Hasan
6. Nasir Hossain
7. Mahmudullah

I also wouldnt mind
1. Tamim Iqbal
2. Anamul Haque
3. Mominul Haque
4. Naeem Islam
5. Shakib Al Hasan
6. Mushfiqur Rahim
7. Nasir Hossain
8. Mahmudullah

Mahmudullah to me doesnt seem like a top order batsmen. The highest he could go is #4 imo. Same goes for Nasir due to his technique.

1. Tamim Iqbal
2.
3. Anamul Haque
4. Naeem Islam
5. Shakib Al Hasan
6. Mushiqur Rahim
7. Nasir Hossain
8. Mahmudullah
I will go with your this line up.
Now who should bat at #2? Our selectors are in turmoil to fill this place up. Really its a tough job. Option left are Ash, SN, Jahurul, Junaid, Kayes. Almost all here has enjoyed lot of chances. Among them Jahurul has the highest FC average but he did not get enough chance to prove his worth. Thats why I am in favour of giving Jahurul few chances.

[Gowza]

Originally Posted by BengaliPagol

I also wouldnt mind
1. Tamim Iqbal
2. Anamul Haque
3. Mominul Haque
4. Naeem Islam
5. Shakib Al Hasan
6. Mushfiqur Rahim
7. Nasir Hossain
8. Mahmudullah

that would be the line-up i'd go with. also agree riyad should be no higher than #4, nasir i could see as a #3 in time, i know his technique isn't there but he has all the other qualities to succeed at #3.

[deshimon]

Someone suggests Anamul at #2. But his suitable place is actually#3. Normally he bats in domestic cricket at#3. If he bats there probably he will feel more comfortable.

We can bring any one at #2 from Junaid, SN, Jahurul or Imrul until we find another new one.

[Gowza]

Originally Posted by deshimon
Someone suggests Anamul at #2. But his suitable place is actually#3. Normally he bats in domestic cricket at#3. If he bats there probably he will feel more comfortable.

We can bring any one at #2 from Junaid, SN, Jahurul or Imrul until we find another new one.

if we are to put anamul at #3 i'd rather try someone new like soumya than going back to one of the other failures. i mean come on now, these guys have had years to improve and haven't, no point going back to them.

[M.H.Rubel]

Other than Tamim and Anamul who did well in NCL this year:
1. Jahurul Islam
2. Maisukur Rahman
3. Imrul Kayes
4. Rony Talukder
Both Maisukur and Rony played for academy. Both two are very young. Academy can be given special duty to nurture this two guy with some others who can bat at top order.

[Fazal]

Originally Posted by Gowza
if we are to put anamul at #3 i'd rather try someone new like soumya than going back to one of the other failures. i mean come on now, these guys have had years to improve and haven't, no point going back to them.

It's time to move forward, not going round and round or not moving backward.

Ofcourse risk is involved trying something new, but the potentail reward is also great.

[BanCricFan]

Only Ash, Alok and Aftab can stop this rot!

Seriously speaking, Jaharul and Imrul must be persisted with. Both can turn out to be excellent players for BD.

[M.H.Rubel]

Originally Posted by Fazal


It's time to move forward, not going round and round or not moving backward.

Ofcourse risk is involved trying something new, but the potentail reward is also great.

To debut under prepared players is very risky job. It ruins the career of the player. To me trying new should depend upon how much he is prepared for international cricket. Unless some one have huge talent no new players should be tried.

[One World]

Originally Posted by M.H.Rubel
To debut under prepared players is very risky job. It ruins the career of the player. To me trying new should depend upon how much he is prepared for international cricket. Unless some one have huge talent now new players should be tried.

I agree wholeheartedly.

[Tigers_eye]

When we have players averaging over 40. Then.

[M.H.Rubel]

I was just planning to follow 4*3=12 top order batsman in franchise based longer version matches and found the date of tourney is shifted. I hope This tourney will give tests to some top order. It seems it will be stronger than N C L.

[BrianLara7]

Our test batting is going to get destroyed outside Asia and against strong pace attacks.. but then again all subcontinent teams have same problem. We first need players who can score big at home

[deshimon]

Originally Posted by BrianLara7
Our test batting is going to get destroyed outside Asia and against strong pace attacks.. but then again all subcontinent teams have same problem. We first need players who can score big at home

We cannot overcome this problem over night. Firstly our batsmen need perform consistently in home condition. Besides it, we don't play a lot of matches out side home. So we don't have more opportunities to help our batsmen performing abroad. Unless our batsmen play more Test away they can't perform well.