Mushfiqur’s heroics shield same old trends

Mushfiqur Rahim single-handedly helped Bangladesh put up a fighting total of 246 runs against Sri Lanka during the second ODI in Mirpur yesterday, but although that one-man salvo averted another batting debacle the overall problem in the department persists.

While Sri Lankan selectors staged a major overhaul of their ODI team by dropping experienced campaigners, Bangladesh appear to be in some sort of dilemma about their mission and vision.

After a 33-run win in the first game, Bangladesh had two changes for the second ODI as Mohammad Mithun and Taskin Ahmed made way for Mosaddek Hossain and pacer Shoriful Islam, who made his ODI debut.

Coming at number five, Mosaddek failed to make an impact, being dismissed in soft fashion after scoring 10, but it is hard to blame the right-hander upon his comeback to international comeback after nearly two years.

Mosaddek's inclusion was not obvious considering he did not perform exceptionally in the domestic circuit during this period. He has recovered from a knee injury sustained in New Zealand earlier this year which ruled him out of that three-match ODI series.

Still, the team management may have seen value in his off-spin considering the surface along with his batting ability. Now the question is whether they will back him and give him opportunities?

It is important that players put their hands up and not blame selectors for dropping them but it is equally important that selectors know the players' roles in the team and develop them accordingly.

A familiar trend has unfolded in the search for an opening partner for Tamim Iqbal but no player over the years has managed to consistently challenge for a spot, with Liton Das also continuing his poor run.

Time is running out fast for the Tigers' think tank, with experienced players nearing the final stages of their careers and the importance of taking responsibility to develop a new set of players cannot be neglected.

There were serious questions about a lack of consistency from Mithun, who has scored 663 runs in 31 ODIs at an average of 28.82, including seven fifties. He disappointed in the first ODI after coming to bat at number five, playing an irresponsible shot off his first delivery to get trapped leg before.

But although the selectors tend to back Mithun, who has been a regular part of the Tigers' middle order since consecutive fifties in New Zealand in 2019, they lost faith after two consecutive failures against New Zealand in the last game of that series and in the first game of the ongoing series against Sri Lanka.

At the moment, it is more like a game of musical chairs for those Tigers that are not among the top and that needs to be sorted out fast. The biggest challenge for selectors is to identify whether they can keep faith in those who are unable to perform consistently or continue with their strategy of chopping and changing every now and then.