Darwin heroics in the past, Shanto relishes Afghan challenge in one-off Test
Fresh from their Darwin heroics, Bangladesh will take on Afghanistan in a one-off Test at the Zayed Cricket Stadium, starting Friday at 12pm Bangladesh time.
While Afghanistan will hope to start afresh under new captain Rahmat Shah, Najmul Hossain Shanto-led Bangladesh will look to continue their strong run in five-day cricket.
This will be Bangladesh’s first Test at a neutral venue and their first in the UAE.
Bangladesh captain Shanto made it clear ahead of the Test that the Darwin win is now in the past, with the team fully focused on the Afghanistan challenge.
Five years ago, Sean Williams described the Abu Dhabi pitch as a “carpet on one side and a dustbowl on the other”. It has generally been slow, as was the case when Afghanistan beat Bangladesh in the ODIs last year. Temperatures could climb to nearly 40 degrees during the day.
Najmul Hossain Shanto is at a different crossroads as Bangladesh captain. He has already established himself as the country’s most successful Test captain, and with important WTC matches ahead, he cannot afford to take his foot off the gas against Afghanistan. A win in Abu Dhabi would take him into rarefied territory, making it his 10th victory as Test captain.
Afghanistan won their last Test at the Zayed Cricket Stadium, beating Zimbabwe by six wickets in 2021.
Afghanistan have played Bangladesh in only two Tests, with both teams winning one each. Their first meeting came in 2019 in Chattogram, where Afghanistan won by 224 runs, with Rashid Khan taking five-wicket hauls in both innings.
Their second meeting came in 2023 in Dhaka. Najmul Hossain Shanto scored hundreds in both innings as Bangladesh secured a massive 546-run victory.
Here are excerpts from Shanto’s press meet:
Q: After the good series against Australia, how do you approach this Test given the different conditions in Abu Dhabi?
Najmul Hossain Shanto [NHS]: Yeah, as you mentioned, we had a good series against Australia. But I believe that is past. This is a new condition and a new opponent, so we have to plan accordingly. Some players came early and played a practice match, which will help us adjust. I believe the players are ready.
Q: Bangladesh have been consistent in Tests over the last few series. Is this a reinvented Test side?
NHS: Obviously. We have played some good cricket over the last couple of years, especially in this format. We have worked really hard back home to improve our Test cricket. We have done well, but still need to improve a lot, especially when playing different opponents in different conditions.
Q: With the rise of T20 leagues, how difficult is it to keep players motivated for Test cricket?
NHS: Nowadays it is hard, but we cannot do anything about that. As professional cricketers, we all grew up wanting to play Test cricket. It is still very special. I believe if we play more Test matches and series, that feeling will remain. Personally, I want to play more Tests rather than shorter formats.
Q: Do young cricketers still have the same appetite for Test cricket, or are they leaning more towards limited-overs cricket?
NHS: Test cricket is very special, and youngsters still want to play it. But because of the way world cricket is going, they also think about the shorter formats. When I speak to young cricketers, they want to play all three formats. They need to adapt their skills for both shorter and longer formats.
Q: Bangladesh and Afghanistan had closely fought ODI matches here last year. How do you assess the two teams ahead of this Test?
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. NHS: We have a very good relationship between the two boards. Last year we played a series here, but this is a different format and we are playing Test cricket after a long time. Both teams will be excited and want to win. We have prepared well and believe we can play good cricket here.
Q: How are you finding the conditions, and how is your recovery from illness?
NHS: Preparation has been good. It is a little hot, but as professionals we cannot use that as an excuse. The players are not thinking too much about it. Personally, my recovery has gone well. Alhamdulillah, I am healthy now. I have trained for the last two days and am feeling good.
Q: Have you seen the wicket? What do you expect from it?
NHS: Yes, I had a brief look yesterday and will look again today. It looked good. It might be a little slow, but I think it will be good for batting. Hopefully, it will be a very good Test match.
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