'All’s well that ends well': Is it the case for Tigers after Zim series?

Bangladesh turned things around in the Test series against Zimbabwe, winning the second and final Test by a resounding margin of an innings and 106 runs in Chattogram yesterday.

The victory allowed the Tigers to level the two-match series 1-1 by snapping a six-match winless streak at home in Tests.

But, should the outcome be enough to overlook the fact that it followed a three-wicket defeat in the first Test in Sylhet -- a loss to a side who themselves were searching for respite in the format?

Prior to their win in Sylhet, Zimbabwe had been winless in 10 consecutive Tests -- drawing eight and losing two -- with their last victory coming against Afghanistan in March 2021 in Abu Dhabi.

It might seem harsh to be bagging on the Tigers after such a dominant performance in the second Test. 

However, a spade must be called a spade. While the margin of victory in Chattogram -- the joint second-largest in Bangladesh's Test history and the largest against Zimbabwe -- is commendable, the hosts' need to claw back to save the series against a team languishing at the bottom of the Test rankings makes the overall result less than flattering.

Fortunately, Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto shared a similar sentiment.

"No, I am really not happy," Shanto said when asked how it felt to have bounced back from a defeat and draw the series at the end of the Chattogram Test.

"If we take both matches into consideration, we should have played better cricket. We should have won the series," he added.

A closer look suggests Bangladesh had more negatives than positives in this series. From a fragile batting lineup to their pace attack -- considered a strength in recent times -- failing to match the standards of Zimbabwe's quicks, the Tigers would probably have more reasons for concern than comfort while looking at the rearview mirror. 

Barring Zimbabwe's late collapse in the Sylhet Test, the visitors truly dominated that match. Their margin of victory could have been far wider had their middle-order batters capitalised on a solid start while chasing a modest target of 174 set by the Tigers.

Before the series, much was said about Bangladesh's in-form pace attack -- particularly young speedster Nahid Rana -- being a major challenge for Zimbabwe. But Zimbabwe's batters faced both Nahid and the rest of the Bangladesh pacers with confidence, just as they had claimed they would before the game. In contrast, the Tigers struggled against Zimbabwe's fast bowlers, especially Blessing Muzarabani, who took a career-best nine wickets for 122 runs in the match.

Nahid was unavailable for the Chattogram Test, having been released for his Pakistan Super League commitments. Yet, his absence hardly seemed to matter, as Zimbabwe's strong showing in Sylhet pushed the Tigers to revert to a spin-to-win strategy at the Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh's batting -- particularly in the first Test -- once again left a lot to be desired. The top order crumbled, with players like Shanto and Mominul Haque failing to convert decent starts into substantial scores. Veteran Mushfiqur Rahim, who is on the cusp of becoming the first Bangladeshi to play 100 Tests, looked to be in over his head, posting identical scores of 4 in both innings in Sylhet.
 
Bangladesh did come up with a better batting display in the Chattogram Test, with opener Shadman Islam scoring his career-best Test score of 120 to provide some solidity at the top. Mehedi Hasan Miraz delivered an exceptional all-round performance, scoring his second Test century and taking a five-wicket haul.

Still, even that win revealed underlying concerns. Anamul Haque Bijoy, who was called up for the match, appeared burdened by the pressure to replicate his domestic form -- a reminder of the gap between Bangladesh's domestic and international standards.

Shanto and Mominul once again got starts but failed to carry on, while Mushfiqur, after reaching 40 off 59 balls, threw away his wicket attempting a risky single that was entirely unnecessary at that stage.

Had it not been for Miraz's century -- during which he had to build partnerships with the tailenders -- the Chattogram result might have been far less convincing.

All things considered, this series should serve as a wake-up call for the Tigers -- especially with a far more formidable challenge on the horizon. Bangladesh's next Test assignment is a two-match series in Sri Lanka next month, which -- unlike the Zimbabwe series -- will be part of the World Test Championship.