Sports

Bangladesh to Shift Focus from Spin in Upcoming Sylhet Test

By Sports Reporter

Bangladesh is considering a change in strategy for the second Test in Sylhet, which begins tomorrow, after a spin‑heavy plan failed against the West Indies on a spin‑friendly wicket in Mirpur. Both teams held their first training sessions at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium yesterday, having arrived in the city a day earlier. The players examined the greenish wicket and spoke with head curator Tony Hemming to assess its nature. With a day still to go before the Test, the hosts could still make a late adjustment, as they did before the opening match.

Sylhet traditionally offers sporting wickets that assist pacers early before spinners become effective as the game progresses. Bangladesh has played six Tests at the venue, winning three and losing three. Two of those defeats came against Zimbabwe in 2018 and 2025. The Tigers have, however, won convincingly in their last two Tests at the venue, against Pakistan and Ireland, on sporting wickets. Their batters also played key roles in those wins, adding to the appeal of a surface that could bring the best out of the hosts.

In Mirpur, Bangladesh’s spinners were outplayed by their West Indies counterparts, with the visitors claiming 16 wickets through spin compared to just eight for the hosts’ trio. The batters offered little support either, managing 272 in the first innings and 142 in the second in an eight‑wicket defeat that left Bangladesh’s bowlers with too little to defend in the fourth innings.

The team management are now considering a change of strategy for Sylhet, potentially moving away from a spin‑friendly approach toward the kind of sporting surface traditionally seen at the venue. The idea is to give the pacers a greater role while offering the batters better conditions to post competitive totals and the bowlers something to defend.

"An all‑out spin attack won’t help us because we don’t play spin all that well either. In fact, over the last few seasons, we won matches on sporting wickets with pace bowling," a member of the national selection panel told The Daily Star on Tuesday. The selector also acknowledged that the West Indies boast a formidable pace attack, featuring Kemar Roach, Shamar Joseph, Jayden Seales and Justin Greaves. "It won’t be easy – they also have good fast bowlers. If Nahid Rana was with us, we could have gone into the match without tension with our pace attack," he added.

Bangladesh could also receive a boost with Mushfiqur Rahim set to return after missing the opening Test due to a finger injury. His return could see skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto move up to number three, followed by Tawhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur and Litton Das. There is also a strong possibility of Bangladesh fielding an extra pacer, with either Ebadot Hossain or Taskin Ahmed potentially coming into the side at the expense of a spinner. With the series on the line, the hosts can ill afford another miscalculation.