Saifuddin misses the bus

In a bombshell press conference on Thursday, Bangladesh ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan said that he had informed the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) that the upcoming South Africa Test series at home in October-November will be the last Test series of his career.

Following the fall of the Awami League government, of which he was an MP, Shakib has not returned to the country. He feels that if he can head back to the country and leave on his own terms, he will play the series against South Africa, which is to be his last Test series.

It is not just Test cricket that Shakib is set to leave as he further informed that he will not be playing T20 format for the next few series as he feels it is time to move on from the format.

Asked if he would play the T20I series against India, starting on October 6, he informed that he feels he has already played his last T20I.

"I think I have played my last match at the World Cup [against Afghanistan]," he added. 

When asked if the Champions Trophy in 2025 would be his last foray in the ODI format, he simply said "I hope so. Nine more ODIs."

There are some positive signs and a few ill omens for Bangladesh ahead of their second and final Test against hosts India, beginning tomorrow in Kanpur. 

The Najmul Hossain Shanto-led Bangladesh will be hoping to bounce back from a 280-run hammering, received in the first Test in Chennai last week, when they step onto the Green Park stadium for their final World Test Championship fixture of the tour tomorrow. 

Given the speculations that the surface at the Green Park stadium will be anything but green -- as per reports from Indian media outlets that the surface to be used in the second Test will have a covering of black soil, aiding spinners more -- Bangladesh can take hope from the fact that a number of their batters have had comparatively better success against spinners than their Indian counterparts in the longer format in recent time. 

Considering the middle and lower-middle order (from position 4-8) of the two sides' batting line-up from the last Test in Chennai, only India batter Rishabh Pant has fared better against spinners than any of the Bangladesh batters in Tests since 2022. 

Pant, who usually approaches any format in an aggressive mindset and is unafraid of using his feet against spinners, averaged 60.62 against spinners since 2022. His staggering strike rate of 117.43 against spinners during this period is also the highest among any batters in the two sides' current squad. 

However, apart from Pant, the other Indian batters who bat in the middle and lower-middle order have not fared better than Bangladesh's batters who batted in the same position in Tests since 2022. During this period, the likes of Virat Kohli (32.78 avg), KL Rahul (21.87 avg), Ravindra Jadeja (39.2 avg), and Ravichandran Ashwin (25.35 avg) have had tougher times against spinners compared to Liton Das (56.44 avg), Shakib Al Hasan (46.33 avg), and Mushfiqur Rahim (46.21 avg). 

Only Mominul Haque (32.18 avg), who usually bats at number four, and Mehedi Hasan Miraz (35.20 avg) down the order have had batting averages below 40 against spinners in Tests since 2022.

Even Bangladesh skipper Shanto, who has been trusted with the crucial number three position in Tests for a while now, has had a healthy 40.69 average against spinners while India captain Rohit Sharma struggled with a 35.13 average against spinners during this period. 

Bangladesh are also likely to have better success with spin against two of India's stalwarts -- skipper Rohit and Kohli. It marked Kohli's 14th dismissal against a spinner in his last 19 innings when the star batter was trapped in front by off-spinner Miraz in the Chennai Test. 

In fact, off-spinners have been particularly effective against Kohli, dismissing him eight times in his last 17 innings. 

Meanwhile, Rohit, who was dismissed by pacers Hasan Mahmud and Taskin Ahmed in the two innings in the Chennai Test, has fallen prey to both off-spinners and left-arm orthodox bowlers seven times in his last 17 innings.  
  
However, the Tigers will have to be wary against the Indian top-order, particularly against Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill. Jaiswal, who has played only 10 Tests since making his debut against the West Indies in July 2023, has played spinners with ease in the longer format, averaging 114.66. 

Gill, meanwhile, has averaged 50.12 in the 31 innings he batted against spinners in his Test career so far.   

Given what the statistics suggest, it would probably bode well for the Tigers if the pacers could claim the wickets of the Gill-Jiaswal duo before they get settled on a track that is suggested to aid the spinners more as time goes on.

The most concerning factor for Bangladesh, however, would be if India decide to bolster their spin arsenal by including left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav for the game in Kanpur. 

While left-arm wrist spinners are a rare breed in cricket and players very rarely have to encounter such a bowler, one particular fact could give everyone a clear idea as to how the Tigers might fare against Yadav. 

Bangladesh are the worst team when it comes to negotiating leg-spin in Tests, losing a wicket in every 48 deliveries. 

South Africa fare the best against leg-spinners in Tests, surviving 75 deliveries before giving a wicket to a leggie. Following suit in this regard are: India (74 deliveries for each wicket), New Zealand (73 deliveries for each wicket), Australia (70 deliveries for each wicket), England (67 deliveries for each wicket), Pakistan (64 deliveries for each wicket), Sri Lanka (63 deliveries for each wicket), Zimbabwe (60 deliveries for each wicket), Afghanistan (57 deliveries for each wicket) and Ireland (49 deliveries for each wicket).

A number of possibilities as well as concerns pop up when statistics are brought into the equation. But it does not change the fact that the game would be won by the side that will be able to play better cricket on the day.

Bangladesh might be miles behind India when it comes to strengths in the longer format, but some of the positive statistics might just help boost the Tigers' confidence ahead of facing the number two side in the ICC Test rankings at their den.        

Bangladesh pacer Khaled Ahmed replaced Taskin Ahmed in the 15-member squad for the second Test against South Africa, scheduled to start on October 29, at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram. 

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) made the announcement of the only change in the squad on Thursday evening. 

"Taskin hasn't been dropped. We have a long list of international matches coming up in the next few months. The break will give him some time to rest and he can also start preparing for the upcoming series," selector Hannan Sarkar told the Daily Star over phone on Thursday.

Khaled, who claimed four wickets for 61 runs during Sylhet Division's opening round National Cricket League 2024-25 match against Dhaka Division in Khulna, was dropped for the opening Test against the Proteas after a poor display in the Kanpur Test against India in September. Meanwhile, Taskin wasn't included in the playing eleven of the first South Africa Test as the Tigers opted to go with Hasan Mahmud - the only pacer in the starting lineup -alongside three spinners.

The Tigers lost the contest by seven wickets on Day 4 in Mirpur today.

Bangladesh squad will travel to Chattogram on October 26 for the final match of the series. 

Squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Shadman Islam, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Liton Das, Jaker Ali Anik, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana, Hasan Murad and Khaled Ahmed.

With schools only half closed, an expectant crowd at Kanpur's Green Park Stadium had rallied around to make it appear a brilliant occasion on the opening day of the second Test between Bangladesh and hosts India yesterday.

Bad weather, however, played spoilsport for the most part. The anticipation was huge in the morning despite overnight rain making for a delayed start. The crowd would have loved seeing India bat.

"I want to see [Jasprit] Bumrah in action, but I want India to bat first," a student named Mayank, who was perhaps taking advantage of school being closed till 12 pm to allow students to watch the game, told The Daily Star in the morning.

But Rohit Sharma opted to bowl. That was not disappointing at the beginning for the home fans as Bumrah, in particular, made his presence felt.

Openers Zakir Hasan and Shadman Islam did not carry on for long as Bangladesh were in a spot of bother on 29 for two following Akash Deep's double blow. It was skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto who would take confident strides to put some pressure on India.

When rain came in, leading to early Lunch, the Tigers had reasons to be content at 74 for two.

Shanto was looking so good, following a team-high 82 in the preceding innings in Chennai. It was thus disappointing when a Ravichandran Ashwin delivery trapped him in front after a 51-run stand with Mominul Haque. The latter was deliberate in his ploys, often chancing shots when width was given. A confident off-drive saw him take the Tigers past 100.

Mushfiqur Rahim, meanwhile, was settling in as well, but then rain had the last laugh -- this time so unyielding that not only was the rest of the day's play wiped out, but even the customary post-day press conference of the two teams was cancelled simply because the teams could not come into the press box through the waterlogged ground.

People left the arena early, shrugging perhaps at what could have been a brilliant day of cricket had the conditions not intervened.

There was heavy rain in the evening around the stadium again yesterday. Much now depends on how fast the ground recovers for the second day's play today, which is another opportunity for the huge crowd that came in to catch Test action here after a three-year gap.

Under pressure following a listless 1-1 draw against Pakistan in their first match and destabilised by the talk of rift between the coach and senior players becoming public, Bangladesh couldn't have come up with a better response than their 3-1 win against five-time SAFF Women's Championship winners India in their final Group A fixture at the Dasharath Stadium in Kathmandu yesterday.

Tohura Khatun scored a brace after Afeida Khandaker's opener as Bangladesh blew away India with a three-goal burst inside the first 42 minutes to raise hopes of an encore of last edition's result against their more storied neighbours. India, however, dented that hope with a goal back in the first half and had quite a few chances to score more after the break, but Peter Butler's charges held on to the two-goal cushion to qualify for the semifinals as group winners.

Butler, who was openly criticised by midfielder Monika Chakma for not preferring senior players ahead of the second match, decided to go with two changes from the first match, bringing in experienced midfielder Maria Manda in place of Sapna Rani and Masura Parvin in defence, replacing the inexperienced Sohagi Kisku.

Maria's inclusion, especially, gave the midfield the much-needed defensive solidity, with Monika Chakma allowed to roam more freely while captain Sabina Khatun, although not quite in her elements, operated from a deeper position.

The opening goal, though, came from a defender as Afeida Khandaker chipped home from inside the box after India goalkeeper Panthoi Chanu could only half-clear a corner-kick from Sabina in the 18th minute.

Rituporna, a handful for the India defence down the left, saw her shot come off the crossbar eight minutes later before setting up Tohura to bundle home at the far post on the 29th minute.

Bangladesh were relentless as they continued to pour forward and one of those moves culminated in the third goal on 42 minutes, Tohura's powerful shot from outside the box on a set-up from Shamsunnahar Jr gave the India goalkeeper no chance.

Bangladesh goalkeeper Rupna Chakma, at the other end, had a mixed bag as she made a couple of fumbles, including one in the 44th minute when she let a cross slip through her hands, allowing India's all-time leading scorer Bala Devi to head home.

The Bangladesh goalkeeper made amends, though, with a string of valiant saves in the second half as India looked to get more out of this game after having brushed aside Pakistan with a 5-2 win in the tournament opener.

Despite India's dominance, the scoreline remained same as Bangladesh players and officials celebrated a much-deserved and much-needed victory.

Butler's charges will have to wait till today to learn their semifinal opponents, the runners-up from Group B.