NEWS
Follow UsShakib Al Hasan has not been in the best of forms of late. In the two tests against Pakistan, the left-arm spinner picked up just four wickets at 38.40 and with the bat, he managed scores of just 15, 2 and 21*.
In the first Test against India, Shakib top-scored in the first innings with 32 and got off to a start in the second innings, scoring 25, and bowled 21 wicketless overs. There were questions over his fitness too as Shakib was introduced into the attack only after 50 overs in the first innings.
Bangladesh succumbed to a 280-run loss in Chennai and go into the second Test with their backs against the wall.
However, skipper Najmul Hossai Shanto has backed the veteran all-rounder, saying that he looks at tha players' preparations than their performances in every match. "As a captain, honestly, I look at how much hard work a player is putting into his game," Shanto said at the post-match press conference on September 22 (Sunday).
"Whether he is struggling enough to make a comeback [for me what is important is that] what is their intention towards the team and how much he is willing to give to the team," he said.
"I look at these things mainly. Some people might think that I am saying it because the question is about Shakib bhai. I try to look at everyone in the same way, whether it is, from Nahid Rana to Mushfiq bhai [Mushfiqur Rahim].
"More than whether he is scoring runs or not, I look at how is his preparation. What is his thinking about the team. I am happy with the way that every member of this Test squad has prepared and been willing to give to the team."
Shanto further hinted at the fact that Shakib was not brought into the attack earlier as his fingers were taped from being hit on them the last time.
"I didn't really need him in the first innings, seeing how the three pace bowlers were doing. Miraz too was bowling well. It was my plan to keep the fast bowlers on for longer. We took six wickets quickly too," he said.
"His [Shakib's] finger was taped. He was bleeding from his finger from the last time he was hit there. I don't feel comfortable talking about a player's individual performance. This is a team game, and only a whole team's contribution makes it possible to win a game.
"Overall, we should have all contributed more. I am not worried about individual performances."
Shanto also brushed aside murmurs that Bangladesh were not ready to take on the Kookaburra ball rather than the SG ball they are accustomed to. Bangladesh were bundled out for just 149 runs in the first innings.
"I don't think the ball was a big issue. It is just a ball. There's obviously difference between Kookaburra and SG balls, but the players adjusted to it. We can't say that we played poorly because of the type of ball," Shanto reckoned.
"We didn't bat well in the first innings. It was a very important phase of the game. We could have been in a better position if we had at least one top-order partnership."
The skipper has also urged his top-order to take up more responsibility. "In terms of learning from this game, I think it is very important that the top order, especially in the first innings, should have been more careful. We need to put some runs on the board. Going forward, all the batters think that they can come back [in the next Test]," he said.
"It is important to spend the time on the wicket. But it wasn't enough. Still, it will help for the second Test. It was very important for the openers to put on 62 runs. That's one thing we can look forward to in the next Test match."
Bangladesh will hope to turn things around in the second Test against India, set to be played in Kanpur from September 27 (Friday) onwards.
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