Mehidy, Shakib, Taijul: How have Bangladeshi spinners fared in India in Tests?
Bangladesh have come to India for a 2-match Test series under unfamiliar circumstances. Bangladesh, who won a grand total of 21 Tests in their 24-year history in the red ball format of the game, recently shocked Pakistan away from home. To put things into context, the Bangladesh side has won only 8 away Tests in 23 years, since the first time they travelled to Zimbabwe in the summer of 2001. And now, out of those 8 wins, two victories came against a strong Pakistani bowling line-up, away from home, on pitches that predominantly helped the fast bowlers.
The Najmul Shanto side have a good mix of young and old. The squad has emerging pacers, dependable batters and a spin-trio, who have generally wreaked havoc in home conditions. Veteran Shakib Al Hasan has the experience of Taijul Islam and the ever-improving Mehidy by his side, as Bangladesh look to ride on their momentum in the World Test Championship.
If Bangladesh are to do well, their spinners need to click in Chennai and Kanpur. The first Test match, set to be held in Chepauk, is expected to be played on red soil, in turn helping the spinners from both sides.
While the Bangladesh spinners did sensationally well in the Pakistan tour, the India batting line-up is expected to be a different beast altogether. But as Suresh Raina said on the eve of the Test match, one should not underestimate Bangladesh, as they are hungry, and riding high on the momentum they built in the Pakistan Test series.
Bangladesh Spinners in India
So how have the Bangladesh spinners fared in India so far? Do they have enough in their tank to pose a threat to the India batters? Let’s have a look.
The biggest issue with the Bangladesh bowling line-up is that they barely have played Tests in the Indian subcontinent. Shakib Al Hasan, their most experienced player, has played just one Test in 2017. He was not able to participate in the 2019 series in India after he got banned by the International Cricket Council for not reporting an approach from the bookies.
Mehidy and Taijul have played three and four Test matches respectively in India and have picked a total of 7 wickets. The strike-rate for both spinners is abysmal, with Mehidy at 152 (3 wickets) and Taijul 159 (4 wickets). In fact, if truth be told, the duo failed to exert any pressure at all in the matches that they have played.
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But a lot has changed since the last time they played a Test match in India. Both Mehidy and Taijul are strong bowlers in home conditions. In fact, Taijul has 18 wickets to his name in the last four Test matches for Bangladesh – all while playing at home.
Mehidy, on the other hand, not only did well with the bat in Pakistan but picked 10 wickets in that tour as well – becoming the best bowler of the series – in conditions where the pitch was expected to suit the pacers.
These two, combined with Shakib can pose a strong challenge to India if they remain consistent for long hours. Consistency has been one of the major problems for Bangladesh in not only Test but all forms of cricket. In fact in the Pakistan series, Bangladesh were erratic with their lines and lengths at times, dropped a number of catches, but managed to remain unscathed by Pakistan – who are probably at their lowest right now.
Bangladesh cannot afford such mistakes against India, who are well and truly the best side at home. India lost their last Test series in home conditions back in 2012, which speaks to the sheer brilliance of the side, and Gautam Gambhir will not be in any mood to let that record go.
Bangladesh will need to apply themselves, for prolonged hours in the Test matches vs India and one can expect their spinners to do better than what they have fared in India in the recent past.
