Following Anamul Haque Bijoy's continued struggles with the bat in the second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo on Wednesday, questions have been raised regarding the opener's place in the side. Bijoy, who failed to trouble the scorers in both innings at Galle, was given another opportunity in the crucial Colombo Test but once again couldn't break his run of poor form.
Opening the innings, Bijoy battled against the new ball and his own composure, ultimately failing to get off the mark after facing 10 deliveries before being bowled by Avishka Fernando via an inside edge.
When questioned by media about why Bijoy, a successful performer in domestic cricket, is failing to translate that form into the international arena, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Aminul Islam Bulbul offered a diplomatic response.
"From the position I am in, as the Board President, it's not possible for me to comment on that," Bulbul stated. "If you were to ask me as a player or a coach, perhaps I could answer."
He quickly added, "But I won't, because we have a coach for that very job. It would be better if you put that question to him."
Bulbul then shifted his focus to the broader demands of Test cricket, emphasising its mental aspect. "At the root of everything, I believe Test cricket is a game of skill, but the main thing is that Test cricket is a game of the mind," he explained. "How stable you are, how much stability you have in your thinking, how clear your mental state is – that's where I think we really need to work."
