Donald bridging the skill gaps through aggressive mentality

Bangladesh take on Ireland in a series-deciding third ODI at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium today and the surfaces in Sylhet have fallen in line with the more aggressive approach that the hosts are looking for in series leading up to the World Cup in India.

That aggression, as pace-bowling coach Allan Donald relayed, has to be collective. Pack mentality, letting go of fear and the necessary skills of reverse swing were on his mind.

Donald had been a fearsome prospect in his playing days. His stare, the sheer pace and aggression, all while deploying some of the most cunning gamesmanship to outmanoeuvre batters, left a mark.

"Since I was 16 or 17, my mindset hasn't changed. It has to be aggressive," he said about his current mindset as he looks to make the Tigers' pace attack talk the talk.

Donald could bowl a dominating Test match length into the batter's body over and over again to break down even the most resilient opposition. While talking about Ireland, he identified the need for consistency heading into the World Cup.

"We got belief and consistency after beating India, beating England in T20Is and hopefully we can close the deal tomorrow out here [against Ireland]. What I am looking at is consistency and success. We're slowly and surely getting there, but it's a long road ahead. One area is to become consistent with our wins," he said about the mentality going forward.

The batting has already moved up a gear, targeting bigger scores, but pitches in Pakistan and India will pose a challenge to the bowlers when it comes to restricting runs.

Donald identified death-over bowling to be the most significant aspect heading to India. "I think, from here on, we have to take what we did and transfer that to Chelmsford, Afghanistan and the Asia Cup. Wickets in Pakistan are going to be absolutely gun. Very fine margins in the World Cup… I'm talking about the skill of bowling at the death," he said.

Flat surfaces, such as in Pakistan, are cues for reverse swing. It is also a skill that Bangladesh have had little clue of in the past. Donald divulged that lots of work has gone on with roughed-up balls.

"The ball will reverse in India, no question about it and it will reverse in Pakistan. That's what we have been working on for so, so many hours in the nets, bowling at balls and tyres and whatnot. So we want to be ready when it comes down to the next time where it really matters," he said, identifying that surfaces in India would allow balls to get 'abrasive'.

"The old ball is going to be absolutely key. When the time comes, dealing with two balls, one comes through and reverses," he said.

The difficult art of swing and other skills had to come from the core aspect of aggression, something that the team found difficult in the past. He said that things began to change "once we started to offload the shackles of fear of failure and fear of disappointment".

Donald felt he had a similar style to Chandika Hathurusingha and opined that the Tigers were able to unshackle themselves under the new head coach. "Hathu has been brilliant around the group and has expressed his freedom and I think they have sort of unshackled themselves to play aggressive cricket," he said and as the culture changes take root.

But aggression alone will not be enough if not part of a pack mentality.

"There's a sense of dovetailing. So if Ebadot [Hossain] doesn't have a good day, Taskin [Ahmed will be there for you. It's nice to see this pack mentality and how they come for each other is starting to have a wonderful impact," he said as Tigers look to find more means of competitiveness.