Chandika Hathurusingha is adept at making specific plans designed for specific scenarios. With technical improvement being one of the biggest areas that still need addressing, the Bangladesh head coach planned a three-day training camp in Sylhet, hoping to test the adaptability of bowlers and batters to conditions there.
The team departed for Sylhet yesterday evening, but Chandika met with the selectors and a few of the coaching staff in Mirpur before their scheduled departure. Chandika had arrived in the country before the other coaching staff, and with the coaching staff now available following vacations, it was an opportunity to discuss plans for the future.
The Tigers are set to undergo skill practice sessions from April 27 till April 29 before they return to Dhaka. They will head to England next to play the ODI series against Ireland, part of the ICC ODI Super League. However, the Tigers’ view will have extended past the Ireland assignment in preparation for challenges this year.
Sylhet’s conditions come into the equation with Test cricket, which challenges mental endurance the most, even though the Bangladesh ODI side is going for the sessions. The conditions in Sylhet had allowed for swing with the new ball, while the challenge for the bowlers came in the shape of consistent bounce on wickets which allowed for effective stroke play.
Given that Dhaka has been hosting the Dhaka Premier League, Chandika wanted something that would allow the side to be tested outside of the challenges from tired pitches with a very little carry for pacers.
When playing in Sylhet, certain pitches resemble those typically encountered in England. The temperature in Dhaka is notably high. Numerous matches are being played at this location. Regrettably, as expressed by the head coach during a media interaction yesterday, the desired wicket cannot be obtained at this location.
The training sessions in Sylhet will be effective for overall growth. Although Chandika did not say it was done particularly to replicate conditions in England, it was in preparation for a way challenges with swing and bounced on offer.
“It is not just about English conditions. It is about the overall development of our game. We are not worried about opposition or results. We want to improve our game overall wherever we play in the future. We have lots of Test cricket coming up next year. We play away from home as well.
“Just to improve our cricket,” Chandika said about the special training camp’s objective.
Most players are available for the camp bar Shakib Al Hasan, who will be joining the side in England. Liton Das and Mustafizur Rahman, currently playing in the Indian Premier League, are expected in England by May 5.