The Bangladesh vs Afghanistan one-off Test, scheduled to start on Wednesday in Dhaka, may not be part of the new World Test Championship cycle, but both teams are focused on representing their country and winning Tests. Despite questions around the match’s importance, given it is being held during Bangladesh’s monsoon season, head coaches Chandika Hathurusinghe and Jonathan Trott believe players across the two sides are looking forward to some red-ball cricket.
Hathurusinghe remarked, “Playing for the Tigers is an honour. I think we don’t look beyond that. Overall, if you ask my opinion, Test cricket is the pinnacle of the game no matter how the other formats are going to be in the future. Your skills as a cricketer are tested in Test cricket, as a bowler, batter and fielder. Your mental skills and resilience is tested. There’s no better format for any cricketer if you really want to be proud of representing your country.”
Trott, who took over as Afghanistan’s head coach last year, shares a similar opinion. “I think there’s an ambition to play Test matches, being a Test nation. But I think it is also important that every Test match we go into, we try to win as well,” he said. “All Test cricketers will tell you they like playing Test cricket. They will say it is their favourite format because of the challenge and the test it creates between the two sides.”
Both teams have struggled with a lack of Test matches. Bangladesh have played only one Test this year, while Afghanistan’s last was more than two years ago. The monsoon, school exams in Bangladesh, and the lack of context because it’s a one-off series could all affect the viewership of this Test. Additionally, both sides are missing key personnel in their line-up. While Afghanistan have rested Rashid Khan, their best bowler, to prioritise his “long-term fitness,” Bangladesh are without Shakib Al Hasan whose finger injury put him out of action last month. Tamim Iqbal was also ruled out of the game on the eve of the match with lower back pain.
A bigger concern for the Afghanistan coach will be to replace Rashid. Trott kept his cards close to his chest, but the make-up of the side suggests that a few newcomers are likely to make their debuts, including 19-year-old legspinner Izharulhaq Naveed who impressed in last season’s Big Bash League. Trott said, “It is very difficult to replace a guy like Rashid. He has vast experience in playing all around the world in different competitions and different variations of the game. He has played Test cricket. So yes, that’s obviously missed.”
The lack of Test matches has been an issue for both teams. Bangladesh have played only one Test this year, while Afghanistan’s last was more than two years ago. The monsoon, the school exams in Bangladesh, and the lack of context because it’s a one-off series, could all affect the viewership of this Test.
Despite these challenges, both teams are excited to play Test cricket. Hathurusinghe said, “If there’s a problem, then he is in the wrong place. Winning for your country is enough for myself and the players. It is the motivational factor.” Trott added, “Being competitive in red-ball cricket just as much in white-ball cricket. I think just as ambitious as Bangladesh were when they started playing Tests. You see Bangladesh now going on to beat other teams at home. I think it’s important to have that ambition. I think it is what drives the game.”
