Bangladesh -India Day Night Pink Ball Test Match at Eden Gardens, Kolkata
Brief Score Card
Bangladesh: 1st Innings 106 all out in 33.3 overs ( Shadman Islam 29, Liton K Das 24 , Naeem Hasan 19, Ishant Sharma 5/22 , Umesh Yadav 3/29 , Mohammad Shami 2/36) and Second Innings 195 All Out in 41.1 Overs ( Mushfiqur Rahim 74 , Mahmudullah Riad retired hurt 39, Ishant Sharma 5/53, Umesh Yadav 4/46) ) ,
India 347/9 ( Virat 5ohli 136 , Cheteswar Pujara 56 , Ajinka Rahane 51, Rohit Sharma 21, Al Amin Hossain 3/85, Ebadat Hossain 3/91, Abu Jayed 2/77, Taijul Islam 1/80)
India won by an Innings and 46 runs. India won the Test series 2-0
Player of the Match and Player of the Series: Ishant Sharma
Bangladesh got thoroughly overwhelmed by dominating India in a completely mismatched test series. It took team India only 46 minutes on day three at Eden Gardens Kolkata to register yet another comprehensive win by an innings and 46 runs against Bangladesh. India won the first test at Indore by an Innings and 130 Runs. This is the fourth consecutive test win by an innings and 7th test win on a trot by team India their best ever. Bangladesh got comprehensive white wash (2-0) back to back innings defeat in two tests. For a team reaching almost 20 years of its test history it is matter of great shame and utter disgrace. Hope such miserably poor performance of Bangladesh would have proper post mortem done and Government of Bangladesh would make serious soul searching about composition and operation of BCB.
Very little new requires adding with match coverage of day two. Mushfique and Mahmudullah finally stood firm for avoiding the two day humiliation of losing a test. But injury to Mahmudullah and his inability to bat on day three hurt Bangladesh. Mushfique and the rest could add another 43 runs in 46 minutes stay at the wicket. Many of these runs however came through desperate throwing of bat to the ball by tailender Al Amin.
Lot of euphoria was created for this historic test the first ever day night cricket test in Asia, the first ever played with pink ball.
Bangladesh got what it deserved sending a weak under prepared team to play against the number one ICC ranked test team in red-hot form. The lopsided performance of spineless Bangladesh team left nothing but the festivity to remember of the pink test in the city of joy. Off course Ishant Sharma would remember the test getting 10 /75 (5/22 + 5/53) bowling fast and accurate. Virat Kohli batted superbly for his 136, his 27 test century and 20th as captain.
Bangladesh had issues with its three top players Shakib, Tamim and Saifuddin unavailable for various reasons. Players revolted against the board. Setting aside those incidents the team did not play together any practise match at home or before the test match in India. India on the other hand just completed a very rewarding home series against strong South Africa .After many years India appears to have found a very dynamic unit of quality fast bowlers bowling at their peak as a team. India always possessed a high quality spin attack and galaxy of world class batsman. This India team can win test matches anywhere only if it fields better.
Bangladesh will not have Shakib for almost a year. Tamim should be available soon. In ODI and T20 Bangladesh has reasonably good team. But in almost two decades Bangladesh could not create a nucleus of a test team. BPL type disco cricket can not help growth of domestic cricket. Given the alleged doubtful integrity of some BCB officials rather BPL type cricket may only create controversies.
Many observers and analysts regularly complain about poor quality domestic cricket and its poor management. The board has no plan or program for restructuring it for the better. It is not that Bangladesh does not have quality cricket organisers and administrators. But they have been kept at bay by a vested quarter and dubious thinkers. Like other areas Bangladesh Cricket needs cleansing operation against corruption and mismanagement. The sooner it is done the better.
The manner in which Bangladesh batted in all four innings of the two tests should embarrass all those played cricket for Bangladesh.
The players lacked skills, temperament, composure for playing against quality bowling attack. Test cricket needs patience while batting. Indian bowling could very easily size up Bangladesh batsmen. Kayes, Mithun, Mominul and Sadman showed nerves. They had no foot works. Bangladesh bowlers looked ok. Wonder why Bangladesh could not prepare a better test team drawing better and consistent performers of domestic longer version cricket after the humiliating loss against Afghanistan at home?
Will anyone step down owning the responsibility of humiliation in test series? Perhaps not. It does not go with Bangladesh culture. Did not BCB President said before the series that Bangladesh will perform better than South Africa.
BDST: 1649 HRS, NOV 24, 2019
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