Bangladesh cricket team's natural progression of improvement seems to have bypassed, as each new fixture appears to reveal fresh tactical headaches rather than alleviating existing concerns. Far from exhibiting positive development, the team has endured a difficult patch in recent limited-overs contests, suffering consecutive series losses that have left many observers pondering the direction of travel.
Bangladesh also faced a humbling defeat in a T20I series against an ostensibly lesser-ranked opponent in UAE, followed by a comprehensive whitewash in a subsequent three-match series against Pakistan. Intriguingly, these back-to-back excursions concluded with a markedly different set of worries from those that troubled the squad at their commencement.
Initially, the primary area of apprehension for the playing group revolved around the persistent struggles at the top of the batting order – a long-standing issue across all forms of the game. While this particular riddle hasn't been entirely solved, with consistent contributions still proving elusive, it is now the bowling unit that has unexpectedly emerged as the chief cause for alarm. This marks a surprising turnaround, given that only a short while ago, those within the team's hierarchy considered this department a genuine strength.
"We weren't sharp with the ball and our ground fielding left a lot to be desired in the last couple of outings, though our batting showed some promise on this playing surface," said skipper Litton Das following a comprehensive defeat in the final match of the recent T20I away series against Pakistan, where his side failed to defend a competitive total. "It's a good deck, but we must adapt our bowling strategies to different batsmen, and that's something we really need to address."
Indeed, establishing a solid foundation with the bat rarely seemed problematic. The opening pair even forged a significant partnership in the conclusive fixture, a notable stand for any wicket against their formidable opposition in the shortest format.
However, the bowlers appeared utterly at a loss when faced with the unforgivingly flat pitches encountered during these recent trips. Deliveries intended to deceive from the quicker bowlers were either easily picked off or offered far too much time to the opposition batsmen, landing frustratingly short. The spin contingent, receiving no discernible assistance from the playing surface, looked both ineffectual and wayward, a situation compounded by some decidedly subpar work in the field.
The team's solitary specialist leg-spinner, Rishad Hossain, endured a challenging period, consistently conceding an abundance of runs per over in every game. He often seemed a rather ordinary proposition, frequently targeted by opposing batsmen, largely owing to a predictable tendency to either pitch too full or too short.
Quicker bowlers also proved expensive during crucial phases of play, allowing the opposition to reclaim momentum even after initial setbacks.
Several of the fast bowlers registered high economy rates in multiple matches. The captain's tactical choice to entrust a significant portion of the decisive overs in an earlier game to his spinners highlighted the perceived ineffectiveness of his pace attack on those unhelpful tracks.
The squad did contend with a number of absences in the fast bowling department both before and during the recent contests. Nahid Rana was unavailable, Mustafizur Rahman missed the entire series due to injury, and Shoriful Islam was sidelined for the final match after picking up a knock.
Nevertheless, for a side that found considerable success relying on its pace attack not so long ago, this apparent scarcity of depth in that crucial department is a worrying indicator for the future. More critically, what appears most unsettling is the continuing pattern of the team's tactical weaknesses shifting from one area to another with each new series.
It would hardly be a shock if a fresh set of challenges emerged in their upcoming full tour against another subcontinent rival Sri Lanka in the coming weeks.
