Readying a backup opener remains a top priority

Bangladesh will meet India in their final Super Four game on Friday, September 15, knowing that even a win may not guarantee a place in the final. However, the Tigers' major goal would be to regain some momentum and confidence before returning home, with the ODI World Cup just around the corner.

Moreover, given the form and fitness of current regular openers, the backup opening options may have a telling impact on Tigers' World Cup challenge.

While dealing with injuries, the kind that dawned on Bangladesh before the Asia Cup, short term fixes are often justifiable. There was no Tamim Iqbal while Liton Das -- initially ruled out of the Asia Cup due to fever -- returned to fill in the vacant number three spot left by in-form Nazmul Hossain Shanto after having missed out on the first two games.

The ongoing Asia Cup has exposed Bangladesh's fragility at the top. No one has done particularly well recently except Mehedi Hasan Miraz, a makeshift opener. In the last two years, Tigers have had to turn to nine different opening pairs in ODIs that justify readying backup options.

According to sources, the team management do not have the confidence to play Tanzid Hasan Tamim in the final game, feeling that another failure may shatter the youngster's confidence.

Even former Bangladesh skipper Mohammad Ashraful, an exciting batter in his own right, felt that India may be a difficult challenge for Tanzid.

"There was much excitement regarding Tanzid in the team before the Asia Cup since he had a good season. But after a duck [against Sri Lanka] the hopes have somewhat gone away from the team management. Since he is young, maybe that's why the experienced [Mohammad] Naim was prioritized," Ashraful told The Daily Star yesterday.

"Even though Naim couldn't make hay, it's a positive that the captain and coaches have backed him. I feel that too much rotation is not good. From one viewpoint, what the management did was right: regarding backing Naim. But if they would have wanted someone exciting, someone like Tanzid who has that element of excitement, could have been backed. Then maybe instead of dropping him after the first game, we could have had one from Naim or Tanzid who can provide that kind of excitement.

"You can't complain about anyone here but if the management had shown that courage, it could have benefited Bangladesh. You have to face the likes of [Jasprit] Bumrah against India. There is doubt about if Tanzid can do it against such bowlers," added the youngest Test centurion.

It brings the selection criterion into question once again that why management selected Tanzid in the first place if they did not have prior faith. Given regular opener Tamim's injury issues, he will have to be continued game by game if he manages to return fit enough to play the New Zealand series. A backup option would thus be vital at the World Cup, in case injury crisis resurfaces.

Opener Anamul Haque Bijoy's inclusion in Asia Cup, at the last moment due to Liton's fever, was curious given that he was not part of team management's plans for the tournament.

"I feel that the kind of wicket we batted in, Bijoy could have scored a hundred against Afghanistan. The wicket was easy and he has experience. Some opportunities would not have been bad. It's true that everyone gets opportunities but maybe someone is getting five opportunities and someone just one. It's also not possible to give equal opportunities," Ashraful said regarding Bijoy.

With three ODI matches to come against New Zealand at home, the Tigers would need to have more defined plans if they are to avert concerns at the World Cup in case regular openers such as Liton or Tamim succumb to injuries.