The two-match Test series between India and Bangladesh is all set to get underway on December 14 in Chattogram.
Ahead of the opening Test, Bangladesh pacer Taskin Ahmed addressed a press conference, where he said that the bowlers will have to bowl patiently and wait for their opponents to make mistakes on what is expected to be a flat batting surface.
The third ODI between India and Bangladesh at the same venue saw the visiting team taking the opposition attack to the cleaners, posting a mammoth 409/8 in 50 overs on the back of centuries from Ishan Kishan (210 off 131 balls) and Virat Kohli (113 off 91 balls).
Taskin feels that the only way for his side is to bowl with discipline.
“It is the same everywhere: top of off [stump]. If we try to force the issue, it would not work in our favour. We will leak runs. They are good players, so we have to get the new ball to swing a bit. Maybe get reverse swing with the old ball. We have to try to break their patience. We have to bowl patiently and wait for their mistakes. It won’t be right to say that we want to blow them away,” ESPNCricinfo quoted Taskin as saying.
“Fast bowlers ideally want to bowl on green tops. Conditions are not in our hands. We have got slow and flat tracks in South Africa and New Zealand. We have to make ourselves so skilful that we can bowl well on all types of wickets. Great bowlers are also getting five-fors on flat tracks. We have to focus on our self-improvement rather than [look at] conditions,” he added.
However, Taskin is not a certain starter for the first Test as he is yet to gain full fitness.
“The team management is concerned about my workload build-up. I have just returned from an injury, so I am working on increasing workload build-up, fitness and bowling load.
“If I can fulfil the load before this game, they may think of playing me. If not, then I might not play this Test. I might be playing the second Test in that case. I have spoken to them about it. I am following my workload plan,” he said.
Bangladesh are having a tough time in Test cricket this year, winning only one and losing six Tests out of eight. They are yet to beat India in the longest format of the game.
Taskin said Bangladesh’s first attempt will be to take the game to the final day and then aim for a positive finish.
“Chittagong is a batting paradise in Bangladesh. It has never been easy for fast bowlers here. We are improving but we are yet to get favourable wickets. It is usually a batting track,” he said.
“Test cricket is always challenging. We have won Tests by taking it to the fifth day, so here too, we have to take the game into the fifth day,” he added.
(With ANI inputs)
