To avoid a whitewash against Zimbabwe, Bangladesh is heavily concentrating on fixing their weak batting, revealed middle-order batter Jaker Ali Anik on Saturday.
The batting meltdown was key in their three-wicket loss in the first Test against Zimbabwe. The defeat which paved the way to be swept against a side, termed as minnows, is considered as the lowest ebb in Bangladesh’s cricket.
“We are looking at the process to get out of this bitter situation,” Jaker told the reporters at Bir Shrestha Matiur Rahman Stadium in Chattogram on Saturday.
“Since the first Test did not go as we planned, we believe we need to fix the things. We have discussed about it,” he added.
Of course, the focus on batting will be our main agenda, because we’ve been struggling for a quite long time, he remarked.
Getting all out below 200 in the first innings, became now quite normal for Bangladesh, at least on home ground, where they haven’t won any Test match since 2023.
In the first innings of the Sylhet Test, the Tigers as it was adorably called, were bowled out for just 191 and conceded 82-run lead. In the second innings too, they continued their wayward batting to be all out for just 255, setting Zimbabwe a meager 174-run for a victory.
Albeit a hiccup, Zimbabwe reached the target to seal their first victory in Test format since 2021 and first on Bangladesh soil since 2018.
After arriving in Chattogram on Friday, the Bangladesh team started training there on Saturday.
Jaker also repeatedly used the word 'process' that Bangladeshi cricketers always use in various contexts.
“We can lose to anyone. But I think the process should be right for everyone,” he said.
Jaker who made 58 in the second innings to achieve the rare feat of hitting at least one half-century in each of his first four Tests, however, did not try to hide the extremely poor state of batting.
“I am talking about batting. We have suffered because of our batting,” he said, adding that they need to improve the shot selections issue.
“We have discussed how to improve shot selection. Bowlers do not always win the Test. We want all our batsmen to give their best performance in the coming match,” he added.
NSA
