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Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha expressed his disappointment following his team’s seven-wicket defeat to India in the truncated Test match at Kanpur. The match, which lasted only 173.2 overs, marked the fourth-shortest in Test history, and Bangladesh’s batting collapse on the fifth day proved costly.
A Disheartening Collapse
Hathurusingha noted that Bangladesh aimed to bat for a long period to save the game but managed only one session on October 1. In a shocking 21-minute stretch, they lost four key wickets, including captain Najmul Hossain Shanto, Shadman Islam, Shakib Al Hasan, and Litton Das.
“The defeat is really hurting us in terms of our performance,” he stated. “(India’s approach) was really not seen before. All credit to Rohit and the Indian team for coming up with that approach and making a match of it. We actually didn’t react quick enough (to India’s approach).”
Reflecting on Performance
The coach acknowledged that the batting throughout the series was disappointing. “Some players did well in the last series. We have not been performing to our potential in the last few series,” he admitted. He attributed part of the struggle to the high skill level displayed by India: “One reason for the batting was the quality of the opposition. The skill level in display in this series was very high. We are taking a lot of learnings from this.”
Hathurusingha emphasized that playing against India in India represents one of cricket’s toughest challenges. “This is the best team. Playing India in India is the toughest assignment. We know how much we need to improve,” he added.
Despite arriving in India after a historic series win against Pakistan, Hathurusingha recognized the steep challenges ahead: “We came here after beating Pakistan but we knew that the challenges would be steep in India.”
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Learning from Mistakes
The coach reflected on his team’s performance, stating, “I think we were completely outplayed in this series. I saw the difference in skill levels, so we need to improve.” He stressed that while there is disappointment within the squad, it is essential not to place undue pressure on individual players: “There’s no point putting pressure on every individual player and their every decision in the middle if we are not getting the right support.”
Hathurusingha defended captain Shanto’s decision to attempt a reverse sweep against Ravindra Jadeja, which resulted in his dismissal: “It is individual and team plan as well. We are playing on a spinning wicket. If the defense is getting challenged, it is a strategy to play the reverse sweep if you have practiced hard on the shot.” He added that execution let them down during this innings.
Future Considerations
Looking ahead, Hathurusingha could not confirm whether star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan had played his last Test match. Shakib has sought assurances regarding security for upcoming home Tests against South Africa before committing to participating in that series. “I haven’t heard anything to say that this is the last time (that Shakib is playing). As far as I know, he is playing the South Africa series,” he stated.
He acknowledged that succession plans are necessary given Shakib’s stage in his career: “We are all surprised that he said that (South Africa) is his last series. You are not getting like-for-like replacement for someone like Shakib.”
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