ODI lift on the line on ‘never-before-seen’ pitch

After a 3-0 whitewash against Afghanistan, Bangladesh must recover quickly to avoid a fifth successive ODI series defeat. The upcoming home series against the West Indies offers a chance for respite, but familiar questions loom over their batting and the Mirpur wickets.

While head coach Phil Simmons said they are building towards the 2027 ODI World Cup through chops and changes to find the right profiles, the nature of wickets back home has hardly helped the batters' cause -- which raises the question: what exactly are they building towards?

The wicket at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, meanwhile, has drawn intrigue. Its dark soil suggests a spin-friendly surface, though West Indies head coach Darren Sammy described it as "something we've never seen before," acknowledging the unique challenge of subcontinental conditions for his batters.

Simmons, however, saw it differently. "It looks like a normal Mirpur wicket. So it usually has some sort of turn in it, which is good," he told reporters on Friday.

Bangladesh's reliance on spin could resurface, especially given the absence of a Rashid Khan-type threat in the West Indies attack. Mirpur typically produces 250-run wickets, but even that has seemed distant of late, with inconsistent batting and poor shot selection proving costly.

Simmons hinted that mindset, more than skill, remains the issue. "We have the tools to put up 300," he said, referencing past successes in the Caribbean but also pointing to limitations.

"Well, in discussion, sometimes your composition and the tools you have determine how you're going to play. We don't have the tools like England to come out like that," he added.

Turning tracks do not necessarily mean low-scoring affairs. Bangladesh's headache stems from the fact that, bar Saif Hassan in recent series, few batters have applied themselves according to the demands of conditions and match situations.

Simmons conceded that the search for a stable opening pair continues. "We're still finding the right combinations," he said.

For Bangladesh, the series presents multiple objectives: to secure results, find respite through the tried-and-tested Mirpur formula, and at the same time develop consistency in batting for the future. Whether these ambitions align while ranking points are at stake remains the bigger question.