Shanto criticises Bangladesh batters after series loss against India
The skipper pointed out that despite having opportunities, the batters were unable to convert promising starts into substantial scores, leading to a disappointing series.
Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto has expressed his dismay at his team's whitewash in the two-match Test series against India, acknowledging that the batting line-up failed to perform adequately.
Having recently secured a 2-0 victory over Pakistan, Bangladesh entered the series against India with high hopes. They began the first Test in Chennai with a strong bowling performance, but this dominance quickly faded, resulting in two losses to Rohit Sharma's side.
Following the defeat in the second Test, Shanto candidly addressed the team's batting struggles. He stressed the importance of adapting to the playing conditions and noted that many players were dismissed after facing only 30 to 40 balls, highlighting a lack of concentration.
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"Both the Tests we didn't bat well. In these conditions, we need to perform better. If you look at our batters, we played 30-40 balls and got out. It's crucial in a Test match to build on starts and aim for big runs," Shanto said, as reported by Cricbuzz.
Shanto also reflected on the pivotal partnership between Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja during the first Test, which significantly affected the game's outcome. He emphasised the need for the bowling unit to analyse how to capture crucial wickets at key moments.
"The way Ashwin and Jadeja batted at that time was impressive. As a bowling unit, we need to focus on those moments and find ways to take those wickets. That partnership cost us the game. However, the way Mominul batted in this innings will be beneficial moving forward, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz bowled exceptionally well in both innings," Shanto added.
In the series, Shanto managed to score 152 runs across four innings, averaging 38.00 with one half-century. His best performance came in the second innings of the first Test, where he scored 82 runs off 127 balls, featuring eight boundaries and three sixes.
Shanto's frank assessment reflects the need for improvement as Bangladesh looks to bounce back from this series and build on their recent successes.
