The West Indies will have to find a better game plan to counter the challenge of spin and stretch together substantial partnerships in order to come out triumphant in the second Test at Mirpur, reiterated skipper Kraigg Brathwaite after the disappointing 64-run loss at Chittagong.
On a turner, the game swung fortunes on many occasions but eventually, the final innings target of 204 proved to be too good for the visitors, who succumbed for just 139/10. The spinners ruled the roost, with the left-arm spinner Taijul Islam picking 6/33 from his 11.2 overs.
This becomes Bangladesh's first Test win at home over West Indies.
"We didn't play ourselves as well as we should or could. We didn't put up any good partnership and we lost wickets too quickly. The key is partnerships, whether the top or middle order," Brathwaite said afterwards, "We didn't get partnerships early, so it cost us. The batters have to start better. We have to get bigger totals."
"It (the surface) got worse as the game went on. It was a little easier when the ball got soft. The ball was doing a lot more in the pitch," he noted.
Not happy but still willing to back him, Brathwaite talked about the over-aggressive approach Shimron Hetmyer employed against rampaging spinners on a turner, and said, "He bats in that way. He is quite an attacking batsman. Obviously, he can attack quite well. Each batsman has their specific game plan, so that's his game and he did well."
Reflecting back at the match, the right-hand opening batsman also felt that his team perhaps allowed Bangladesh to get "40-runs too many" in the first innings, where Bangladesh recovered from 235-7 to reach the impregnable 324 all out on a difficult pitch to bat on.
He affirmed, "I think they got 40 runs too many in the first innings. If we could have limited their first innings score, it could have been better."
Looking forward to the second Test from Friday, November 30, Brathwaite also spoke about the non-availability of Shannon Gabriel, who has already been suspended for the encounter owing to breach of the ICC code of conduct against Imrul Kayes in the first game.
"Obviously he is a crucial bowler but we have guys that can follow up. We just want to stick to our plans and I think we will do well in that game," he signed off.
Bangladesh now has an unsurpassable 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
(Inputs from Cricbuzz)
