Fast bowlers often concede runs, particularly in Test cricket where fielders are positioned aggressively, and runs can accumulate rapidly. This was the scenario faced by Bangladesh's bowlers in Chennai during the first Test. In the second Test, they encountered a form of batting that blurred the boundaries between formats, especially after two days in Kanpur without a ball being bowled.
In Kanpur, the crowd was highly vocal, urging the team to adopt a high-risk, high-reward approach. Unfortunately, it was the Bangladesh bowlers who bore the brunt of this strategy. Khaled Ahmed and Hasan Mahmud, in particular, struggled to recover from the onslaught on the fourth day.
Hasan conceded 66 runs in six overs, while Khaled gave away 43 runs in four overs. There was little margin for error. Although they bowled their usual lengths and lines, their nerves and skills were severely tested as the batters aimed not just to score, but to score quickly. From the very first over, Hasan was under immense pressure. Khaled, too, was rattled from the outset, with Rohit Sharma hitting a six off the first ball and then casually flicking another delivery square of the wicket for six.
The response, in terms of adjusting their mindset and bowling strategy, needed to be swift. While the intention to bowl attacking deliveries to take wickets should have been there, they retreated into a defensive shell early on. There was insufficient confidence in their wicket-taking deliveries, and their body language reflected this.
Shakib Al Hasan, speaking after Day 4, mentioned that he had fully anticipated such an aggressive approach from India. "After the first two overs, we reacted, but we should have reacted after the first two balls," Shakib told broadcasters.
While the batters were once again culpable for poor decisions across all four innings, their performance in Kanpur was particularly disappointing on a pitch that offered little assistance to bowlers after the first 35 overs of Day 1. However, the bowlers' struggles on more placid wickets at home, compared to the more challenging conditions away, are telling.
Taskin Ahmed, the spearhead of the attack, has taken five wickets in two home matches compared to 13 in five away Tests over the past three years. Khaled has 10 wickets in eight home Tests, compared to 18 wickets in five away Tests during the same period.
When asked to compare the performances of the batters and bowlers in the India Test series, head coach Chandika Hathurusingha remarked, "The fast bowlers perform really well when the conditions are favourable. In this game, the conditions were different, and the Indian approach didn't allow us to be at our best. We need to think about and learn from this very quickly. Now we know how to react quickly enough."
There is a case for putting in extra effort on home surfaces, such as those in Chattogram or even Mirpur. While there is some early assistance for seamers, it diminishes as the game progresses. On a barren track in Kanpur, without some of their regular pacers, the Tigers struggled. However, the aggression needed to take wickets must come through, and they must adapt to changes in the batters' mindset to meet the unique challenges posed by modern Test cricket.
