Talha Kamal
Tigers will return to Test format with a solitary match against Afghanistan on September 5. However, this match will not fall under the ICC Test Championship radar. Bangladesh’s Test Championship journey will start against India in September later. Before that, the Tigers are getting a chance to prepare themselves against the Afghans.
National team’s conditioning camp, which started on August 19, ended yesterday, with new South African coaches Rusell Domingo and Charl Langeveldt taking charge of the Tigers for second day running. The cricketers have worked with fitness in this camp. After the camp ended, Mominul Haque, an essential member of the Test team, spoke to the media.
Mominul is all set to play against Afghanistan. He said, “It is good for everyone as we got a match to prepare for the Test Championship. In Tests, you have to be very strong mentally and remain fit physically. I personally don’t have a problem on that regard as I’m consistently playing Test matches. I played in the Mini Ranji Trophy in India, few days ago, and if you play regularly, Test cricket gets easier.”
Responding to a question as to whether he had received any advice from new coach Russell Domingo, Mominul said, “I have not thought about anything like that yet. Everyone has a personal coach. Not that I have to take everything from him. He will advise me and I will try to do whatever is good for me.”
Mominul feels start of Test Championship will bring positive outcome for Bangladesh in Tests, a format which Tigers are way off from other elite Test nations, “The beginning of the Test Championship will be good for Bangladesh. Because we don’t focus so much on Test cricket here. So it will bring optimism for Bangladesh in Test cricket.”
Like Tests Mominul also wants to make his place permanent in the ODI’s. He said, “You can’t waste time by sitting around in Test cricket, you have to keep practicing.
You need to keep on working to reduce deficiencies. That’s why I practice more. If I can get a good average in the Test or if I have a good BPL campaign, then maybe I’ll also get the nod in ODI’s.
Mominul said it was important to be mentally prepared when playing Test cricket, “I think the whole thing is your mentality. Wherever you go, if you are mentally well-prepared, it is easy to perform wherever you go.”
