Domingo backs Mominul as Test captain

Bangladesh head coach Russell Domingo has backed Mominul Haque as the new Test captain of the Tigers after a tough day of Test cricket against India.

Replying to Bangladesh’s paltry first innings total of 150, the Indians milked runs at ease on the second day of the first Test match at Holkar Stadium Friday, posting 493 losing six wickets, a healthy lead of 343 runs. 

Domingo said India is always a tough place to play cricket for the opposition team and believes it will be hard to judge Mominul after just two days of action.

“It is a very inexperienced Test team. It was Mominul’s first day as captain in the field. It is a tough place to be a captain. But he is a calm and composed guy. I am sure he would have learned a great deal. It is very hard to judge him on one Test in India after two tough days. He will grow into the job. He has all the right attributes. He is a good young player. He is eager to learn. I think he commands respect as he is such a calm person,” said Domingo during the post-day press conference Friday.

@BCBtigers head coach Russell Domingo believes structural improvement is needed to convert the Tigers from a mediocre team into a competitive Test side.https://t.co/BluLLFa3TB#BCBTIGERS #BCB #TIGERS #BANGLADESHCRICKET #CRICKET #BANGLADESH #INDIACRICKET #INDIA #BCCI #DOMINGO

— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) November 15, 2019

The 45-year old South African defended their decision to bat first on the opening day on a lively pitch against the in-form Indian bowlers.

“If you look at the pitch, it will become harder to bat on as the game progresses. We would have been in the game if we could ourselves score 280 in the first innings. Then we could have had a chance. But we fell away in the middle and lower-order,” he said.

Domingo also backed the decision to play only two pacers in the playing XI as one extra batsman was included instead of left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman, despite the pitch offering purchase to the faster bowlers.

“I think it is easy to say when you have six batters who are all averaging 45 or 50 in your squad. You look at the number of the Indian batters and you will find these stats. But unfortunately we don’t have those numbers in our batting line-up. We are playing that extra batter to make up for that. It is a catch-22 situation. If you don’t pick up wickets, the people will say why you didn’t you take the extra bowler and if you have lost quick wickets then people might say didn’t you take the extra batsmen?” Domingo inquired.

1ST TEST, DAY 2

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 c Jayed b Miraz                243    330

Rohit c Liton b Jayed        6    14

Pujara c sub (Saif) b Jayed            54    72

Kohli lbw b Jayed                0    2

Rahane c Taijul b Jayed                86    172

Jadeja not out                    60    76

Saha b Ebadat                    12    11

Yadav not out                    25    10

Extras (lb1, nb3, w3)                7

Total (114 overs)                493/6

Fall Of Wicket

1-14 (Rohit), 2-105 (Pujara), 3-119 (Kohli), 4-309 (Rahane), 5-432 (Agarwal), 6-454 (Saha)

Bowling: Ebadat 31-5-115-1 (w3), Jayed 25-3-108-4 (nb3), Taijul 28-4-120-0, Mehidy 27-0-125-1, Mahmudullah 3-0-24-0

India lead by 343 runs