Mushfiq ton highlights Tigers' aggressive approach

Bangladesh vowed to continue their positive brand of cricket before the start of the Mirpur Test. Wednesday saw Bangladesh batters, especially skipper Shakib AL Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, and Litton Das, play the way they batted in the white ball series against Ireland. True, there was just one batter reaching the hundred, but the intent was clear. 

Bangladesh ultimately scored 369 for the loss of all wickets in reply to Ireland's 214 in the first innings. Their innings run rate of 4.58 is now the highest for them in a Test innings (minimum 300 runs). They dominated the first two sessions of the day accumulating 136 and 146 runs respectively.

Shakib played an 87-run innings in just 94 balls. Litton bagged 43 runs and played at a strike rate of more than 100. Mushfiq was probably the slowest of them all, racking up his 10th Test hundred, but he bagged his second-fastest hundred in Test cricket and scored at a strike rate of 75. 

Mushfiq's innings was well-organised and he did play shots all around the ground. He hit 15 boundaries, most of the Tigers' lot, and a maximum in his 126-run innings. He came in to bat when the Tigers needed someone to calm the nerves after losing wickets at the end of the first day's play and then losing another one at the start of the second day. Mushfiq was calm on the other side while Shakib played his natural aggressive game from ball one.

Mushfiq was involved in three important partnerships in the Tigers' innings. First a mammoth 159-run stand with Shakib which brought the hosts right back in the driver's seat. Then a 87 and 45-run partnerships with Litton and Miraz respectively to kind of knock Ireland out of the game.

Batting coach Jamie Siddons was impressed with Mushfiq's batting and pointed out the crucial role he played along with the other batters.

"It was amazing (Mushfiq's innings). Again, we were in a little bit of trouble with him at the other end and, Mushy generally comes good when the chips are down. He sticks in there and makes sure he gets his call for us and got the score going nicely. Again, he was aggressive when it was required," Siddons said after the end of the day's play. 

Shakib was the main aggressor early on and clarified his intention in the very first ball that he faced. He missed out on his first Test hundred in six years just by 13 runs, but he did show how it's done in Mirpur. And according to the batting coach, he was the pick of the batters on Wednesday for Bangladesh. 

"He scored quickly, but he didn't hit the ball in the air a lot. He batted, I thought he was the pick of our batters today. He's very disciplined. We lost three wickets and he held up really well, put a big partnership together and put us in a really good position at the end of the day," Siddons said. 

While appreciating the senior campaigners, Siddons didn't forget about Mehidy Hasan Miraz who bagged his fourth fifty in Test cricket and took the Tigers' lead beyond 150 after Andy McBrine picked up some quick wickets after the tea. Siddons reckoned Miraz is a proper batter now and the fifty was well-timed considering the game situation. 

"I think Mehidy is a batter now. A proper all-rounder that bats. He's proven that in ODIs and Test cricket. The fifty he got today was really well-timed, aggressive but still working the ones and holding up the end, protecting the tailenders at the other end."

Sidons admitted the total score was still not satisfactory and at least two other batters should have reached 100. 

"Disappointed, one hundred percent. I think three other batters could have put hundreds on the board, at least two. Shakib and Litton probably should have put the game away," Siddons said. 

But the Tigers didn't let the game go out of their hands at the end of the day. They took a stronger grip on the game by picking up four Ireland wickets in the final hour thanks to the two left-arm spinners - Shakib and Taijul - bagging a brace each. 

"The four Ireland wickets today make it look really good," Siddons rightly concluded.