Taskin rues absence of third seamer in Sylhet

Senior Pacer Taskin Ahmed felt the absence of a third fast bowler on the opening day of the Sylhet Test, admitting that another pacer could have helped Bangladesh make better use of the assistance on offer from the pitch during the morning session against the West Indies.

Speaking at the post-match press conference on the first day, the Bangladesh fast bowler said an additional seamer might have allowed the hosts to exploit the conditions for longer.

“At one stage, I certainly felt that having another fast bowler might have been better. We were making good use of the moisture in the pitch during the first hour of the morning. The way the ball was moving, there was a possibility of taking another one or two wickets. With another pacer, we might have been able to exploit those conditions for a little longer,” he said on Thursday.

Najmul Hossain Shanto’s side had benefited from playing three fast bowlers in the Sylhet Test against Pakistan in May, winning that match by 78 runs. The curator had prepared a similar surface this time to put the West Indies under pressure, but Shoriful Islam and Ebadot Hossain had to watch from the sidelines.

Taskin, however, was reluctant to question the team selection based on one day's play. He backed the management's decision, saying the combination had been chosen after considering the pitch and conditions.

“Team selection is entirely the management's responsibility. I believe they made the best decision for the team after considering the pitch and conditions. The match has only just started. Depending on how the wicket behaves, the third, fourth and fifth days could prove crucial in deciding the result,” he said.

Tigers had finished the opening day of the Mirpur Test at 213-3, only to lose seven wickets in the first session of the second day and be bowled out for 272. The West Indies are now in a similar position in Sylhet, having reached 235-4 at stumps on the first day.

Asked whether the visitors could also suffer a batting collapse early on the second morning, Taskin, 31, remained optimistic. He believes Bangladesh can dismiss them quickly if they make the most of the first hour.

“Past experience tells us that the Sylhet pitch is generally good for batting during the first two or three days. If we can do something exceptional in the first hour tomorrow morning, we can bowl them out quickly,” he said.