We can expect turning pitches in Tests but it needs to be better in white-ball cricket: Miraz
The all-rounder also expressed that it would have been better for the batters had the pitch been better but added “This was a decision by the team management and since we are on top, we will want to take advantage of home conditions.”
Mirpur saw yet another spinning surface that aided the spinners and even the pacers to some extent early in the day.
Having won the toss and batted first, Bangladesh were bowled out for what looked like a below-par total of 172 thanks to the New Zealand spinners. But Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam ran riot later in the day's play to take five New Zealand wickets for just 55 runs as the visitors still trail by 117 runs.
There have been a lot of talks of whether to take the 'home advantage' playing spinning and turning wicket in home matches.
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Miraz, who picked up three wickets, said in favour of taking the advantage in red-ball cricket but he expects better pitches will be used in white-ball matches.
"In Tests. we can expect such pitches but in white-ball cricket, the pitches need to be better," he said in the post-day press conference.
The all-rounder also expressed that it would have been better for the batters had the pitch been better but added "This was a decision by the team management and since we are on top, we will want to take advantage of home conditions."
Bangladesh's batters were their own worst enemies in the first innings, epitomised by the way their most experienced batter Mushfiqur Rahim got out.
Some of the batters made it easier for the New Zealand bowlers and Miraz also felt they were "30-40 runs short" of what they felt was a par score in the post-day press conference.
Miraz was also weary of the Kiwi batters' ability and despite 15 wickets - the most amount of wickets to have fallen on day 1 in a Mirpur Test - falling, felt that the match could go on past the third day.
"Anything can still happen in this Test and we are not thinking it will be all over in the next two days. Currently, we are on top but they could fight back, and again we could counter that. Lots of cricket left to play," he said.
