Mominul: Wicket was not unplayable

Interim Bangladesh Test captain Mominul Haque admitted that the wicket was challenging but not unplayable on day one and blamed poor decisions from the batsmen for folding out for just 150 runs in the first innings.

Bangladesh batted first on a lively pitch at Holkar Stadium but managed to bat only 58.3 overs before being bundled out.  

“Wicket was not unplayable. If the wicket was unplayable then few of the deliveries could have hit the batsmen or someone could have got hurt while batting. But nothing happened like this in our innings. Myself and Mushfiq (Mushfiqur Rahim) bhai scored some runs in the middle. Wicket was playable. If it was unplayable then no one could have scored. Our score was low mainly because we took poor decisions in the field and maybe we lost our focus a bit in the middle,” said Mominul after the close of play on day one.   

“The side we are competing with in this Test match, I believe they are the No 1 bowling attack in world cricket right now. To face a challenge like this, we have to be mentally strong. Probably we were not strong enough,” he added.

@BCBtigers' lower middle-order batting fell down like a house of cards as, from 140/5, they were all out for 150.https://t.co/1a0rlzCtGB#BCBTIGERS #BCB #TIGERS #BANGLADESHCRICKET #BANGLADESH #CRICKET #INDIACRICKET #INDIA #BCCI #INDIATEAM #BANGLADESHTEAM #BANGLADESHCRICKETTEAM

— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) November 14, 2019

Considering the Indian pace attack, who are in great form in recent times, electing to take first guard was always a risky proposition.

Mominul said it was the team management’s decision and that the batsmen could not manage to bat well.    

“If we had scored more runs then the decision of batting first would have been justified. But in the end, scored only 150. So I think it’s my fault. If I had scored more runs and continued the partnership with Mushfiq bhai then we might have had more runs and be in a better position,” said Mominul.

Bangladesh did not pick Mustafizur Rahman in the playing XI whereas India picked three frontline seamers in their side.

@mushfiqur15's batting in the middle was mercurial to say the least as he scored some runs, defended well on occasions but also gave chanceshttps://t.co/CbZVFyCTxe#BCBTIGERS #BCB #TIGERS #BANGLADESH #CRICKET #BANGLADESHCRICKET #INDIACRICKET #INDIA #BCCI #MUSHFIQURRAHIM #MUSHFIQ

— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) November 14, 2019

Mominul said the Tigers decided to go with an extra batsman, as is the norm, in their side so Mustafizur was unlucky to miss out.

“We always prefer an extra batsman in our playing XI. That’s why we have chosen two pacers. And both (Abu Jayed) Rahi and Ebadat (Hossain) are used to play four-day crickets in recent days. That’s why we chose them over Mustafizur. We thought it would be a better combination for us to play with two pacers and one extra batsman in the playing XI,” said Mominul.

Mushfiq has been released from his wicketkeepeing duties from this Test onwards as Liton Kumar Das took up the gloves. 

It was expected that Mushfiq would bat at No 4 as he is considered one of the most sound batsmen in the squad. 

But Mushfiq batted at No 5 instead of No 4 and Mominul informed that it was a decision from the team management to send Mushfiq in that position.

1ST TEST, DAY 1

BANGLADESH 1ST INNINGS    R    B    

Shadman c Saha b Ishant    6    24

Imrul c Rahane b Yadav        6    18

Mominul b Ashwin        37    80

Mithun lbw b Shami        13    36

Mushfiq b Shami        43    105

Mahmudullah b Ashwin        10    30

Liton c Kohli b Ishant        21    31

Miraz lbw b Shami         0    1

Taijul run out (Jadeja/Saha)    1    7

Jayed not out            7    14

Ebadat b Yadav            2    5

Extras (lb3, w1)            4

Total (58.3 overs)        150

Fall Of Wickets

1-12 (Imrul), 2-12 (Shadman), 3-31 (Mithun), 4-99 (Mominul), 5-115 (Mahmudullah), 6-140 (Mushfiq), 7-140 (Miraz), 8-140 (Liton), 9-148 (Taijul), 10-150 (Ebadat)

Bowling: Ishant 12-6-20-2, Yadav 14.3-3-47-2, Shami 13-5-27-3 (w1), Ashwin 16-1-43-2, Jadeja 3-0-10-0

INDIA 1ST INNINGS        R    B

Agarwal not out                       37    81

Rohit c Liton b Jayed        6    14

Pujara not out            43    61

Total (26 overs)            86/1

Fall Of Wicket

1-14 (Rohit)

Bowling: Ebadat 11-2-32-0, Jayed 8-0-21-1, Taijul 7-0-33-0