Safe approach pegs Tigers back once again

A penchant for opting for a safe approach once again forced Bangladesh onto the backfoot on the opening day of their series-deciding second and final Test against South Africa in Chattogram yesterday.

Having taken little to no lesson from selecting a batter-heavy eleven during their seven-wicket defeat in the first Test, the Tigers once again went with just four regular bowling options, and eight genuine batting options -- including one all-rounder -- for this series' final World Test Championship fixture, a game that Bangladesh must win to level the series.

Given the historical trend of the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium offering batting-friendly wickets coupled with the fact that the weather in the port city has been very hot and humid in the last few days, the Tigers' selection process made very little sense.

Even the Proteas showed in the last Test, played in a much slower Mirpur surface, that having a properly balanced side was key -- their pacers scalped 13 wickets in that game while Hasan Mahmud, Bangladesh's sole seamer, was left ruing for not being able to bowl from 'both ends'.

Bangladesh did add one more pacer for the Chattogram Test -- pairing Hasan with Nahid Rana. However, the Tigers' choice of opting for only two spinners – all-rounder Mehedi Hasan Miraz and left-armer Taijul Islam -- was just as baffling as it was logical for South Africa to go with three pacers and two spinners.

When Bangladesh's newly-appointed coach Phil Simmons was made to answer queries as to what led to such a selection, things got clearer that it was the fear of batting collapse and the defensive mindset of preparing for 'a draw' from the onset saw the Tigers repeat such a questionable approach.

"It was [done after] a lot of consideration. There was a lot of talk about it [the team combination], and this what we came up with at the end," Simmons told reporters in Chattogram yesterday.

"There was a thought [given] to go with a fifth bowler. First of all, you can win a Test. And if you get to a stage where you can't win it then you must be able to save it. This came into the equation and we decided to go this way," Simmons added, making it apparent where the priorities lie.

Unsurprisingly, South Africa batters made hay on Day 1 with opener Tony de Zorzi and Tristan Stubbs notching maiden tons to power the tourists to 307-2 at stumps, frustrating the Bangladeshi bowlers the entire day under scorching heat.

Bangladesh pacers Hasan and Nahid bowled 13 overs each, staying wicketless, while the two spinners Taijul (30) and Miraz (21) had to account for most overs. Part-time spinner Mominul Haque had to chip in with four overs, further proving that the Tigers were missing a fifth regular bowler who could have made things a lot easier for the other four bowlers in Chattogram's batting paradise.

Taijul was the one to take both the Proteas wickets to fall on the day -- removing stand-in skipper and opener Aiden Markram (33 off 55) and Stubbs (106 off 198) late in the day to end a massive 201-run stand with De Zorzi, who remained unbeaten on 141.

Although the concussion of Jaker Ali Anik and Liton Das' fever at the eleventh hour had an impact on the selection process in the Chattogram Test, it was clear that the defensive approach of the team management has once again seen the Tigers on the back foot just after Day 1.