Mushtaq Ahmed laments Bangladesh’s lack of game awareness

Bangladesh spin consultant Mushtaq Ahmed said the lack of a calm head in pressure situations is hurting Bangladesh, especially in Test cricket. Although he firmly believes the team has the skills and confidence to progress, he wants the team to improve in decision-making.

Bangladesh lost four wickets in their first seven overs in an unfortunate reply to South Africa’s mammoth first innings of 575-6 at stumps on Wednesday on the second day of the second and final Test in Chattogram.

The hosts were 38-4 when poor light forced an early end to the game and now begin the third day trailing by 537 runs.

“I don’t think it’s a lack of confidence. Perhaps there is a lack of a Test cricket process. ” Mushtaq told reporters in Chattogram on Wednesday.

“I don’t agree with your statement about lack of skills. Maybe patience can be better. Test cricket is about playing according to the situation. It’s about surviving that 40 minute period. Shadman was very unlucky when he was caught on the leg.” -Page. We need to improve in these areas,” he said.

“Mindset. You just have to understand the situation,” he said, adding that everyone needs to be patient.

“Can you grow a tree in a day?” Keep watering it, keep believing as a gardener. Sometimes as coaches we have to believe that first. You can’t grow a tree in a day. This tree will show itself sooner or later. “You will see how much yield and fruit they can give you,” he said.

Mushtaq also felt that Bangladesh needs to develop their killer instinct to clean up the lower orders as it has cost them a few games in the recent past. For example, the opening game of this series was significant as South Africa recovered from 108/6 to take a lead of over 100. A similar pattern emerged in this game, although the guests were always in charge.

Following Tony de Zorzi and Tristan Stubbs, Wiaan Mulder scored his first Test hundred of the day as the visitors made a mountain of runs. South Africa declared as soon as Mulder reached his hundred, while Senuran Muthusamy was unbeaten on 70. The duo added an unbeaten 154-run partnership for the seventh wicket, which is now a record for a 7th wicket partnership in Tests against Bangladesh.

“Good question (Bangladesh are failing to pick wickets regularly after reducing the team to six or seven wickets). We have to concentrate on this matter. I think Taijul bowled brilliantly. He has very good variations but they played him very well,” said Mushtaq.

While accepting that positive results must occur as quickly as possible, Mushtaq also referred to the recurring slogan of “trusting the process”.

“Sometimes when you achieve your goals or results, you forget about the process. Good teams do things consistently. They remember the process of winning games. It is our duty as coaches to keep reminding them of the process,” he said.

“You should work as hard as you can. Losing four wickets is no big deal. A coach must tell players that they must fight and believe in every situation,” he concluded.