In 24 years of Test cricket, Bangladesh has managed a total of 81 Test centuries. This statistic underscores a persistent issue: the inability of Bangladeshi batters to play substantial innings in Test cricket is not a recent phenomenon. Despite the passage of two decades, their struggles in the longer format of the game remain evident. Batting coach David Hemp has expressed concern over the Tigers' inability to convert good starts into significant scores.
In the Chennai Test, chasing a daunting target of 515 runs, Bangladesh began promisingly. Zakir Hossain and Sadman Islam forged a partnership of 62 runs. However, the innings failed to build on this foundation, with neither opener reaching fifty. By the end of the day, Bangladesh had lost four wickets and posted 158 runs.
Coach Hemp voiced his concerns about this recurring issue, stating, "We will discuss this. After a good start, once you’ve faced 20-30 balls, you should understand what’s going wrong. Many players are getting out after scoring 30-40 runs. I am certain we will address this again."
Hemp believes that with the right approach, Bangladesh can improve. He emphasised the importance of practice, saying, "Since they are doing the initial work, they should be able to play bigger innings. We have done this occasionally, but we need to ensure our batting approach is correct, which is not happening in many cases. Often, we are getting out after facing 40-50-60 balls and scoring 20-30 runs."
Hemp also highlighted the importance of seizing opportunities against top teams, "We understand they are great bowlers, good bowlers. But we must also recognise our opportunities and strengths. For instance, we aim to score runs whenever the chance arises. Those we face are human too; they won’t always perform perfectly. If you miss the chance to score, you’ve lost an opportunity. This mindset is crucial, especially against high-ranking teams like England and Australia. Otherwise, we will find ourselves in trouble."
