Mushfiqur Rahim
'Is This Bangladesh’s Strongest Test Side!'
Photo: Agamir Somoy
When Bangladesh first toured Australia for Test cricket, former cricketer David Hooks famously said Steve Waugh’s side would dismiss them twice in a single day. Twenty-three years later, as Bangladesh prepare for another Test tour of Australia in August, such dismissive remarks are unlikely. A side that has already recorded Test wins in New Zealand, West Indies and Pakistan can no longer be taken lightly.
At a press conference on Friday, Mushfiqur Rahim was asked whether this is Bangladesh’s best-ever Test team. After 21 years in international cricket, he said the current side is the most balanced and strongest in terms of bowling.
Mushfiqur, who has spent more than two decades playing Test cricket for Bangladesh and became the first Bangladeshi batter to reach 100 Test matches, is well placed to compare eras. Responding to the question, he said, “If I talk about Test cricket, our bowling unit now has a much greater ability to take 20 wickets than before. Our spinners have always been strong in any condition. Now that our pace bowling has also improved, if our batters can perform consistently, as they have been doing over the last three to four years, this becomes a very balanced combination. For a captain, that is a big relief.”
Drawing on his own captaincy experience, he added, “When I was captain, I maybe had batters, but I did not have four bowlers capable of taking 20 wickets. I might have had one or two, which made it difficult to bowl teams out.”
He believes the current attack offers both balance and variety. “I can say that we now have balance and bowling variety, which helps a Test team in any condition, whether spin-friendly, pace-friendly or sporting wickets, to get results. We just need to prove our ability on the field over five days,” he said.
Reflecting on his journey from his debut at Lord’s in 2005 to his 102nd Test in Sylhet, Mushfiqur said Bangladesh’s progress has been positive but consistency remains the biggest challenge. “If we can be a bit more consistent as a team, in the next two or three years we will be in a much better place,” he said.
The current Bangladesh Test side does not feature senior figures like Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal or Habibul Bashar, whose individual records stand out. Mushfiqur acknowledged their contribution but said the current team has delivered more consistent results.
“If you compare with past teams, many great cricketers have played Test cricket for Bangladesh. But in terms of overall consistency, this team has been more consistent than any other period,” he said.
He attributed this to increased match exposure. “Earlier, we used to play maybe two or three Tests a year, on average three at most. With such long gaps, it was difficult to get good results. Now we play around eight to ten Tests a year, or six to seven on average. That makes it relatively easier. More players are performing well. When seven or eight players perform together, the team does well in any format.”
Bangladesh’s Test history once revolved largely around wins against Zimbabwe and occasional victories over a weakened West Indies side. But in the last four years, Mushfiqur said, overseas wins have strengthened belief in the current team. He pointed to victories in Mount Maunganui against New Zealand, in Jamaica against the West Indies, and a whitewash of Pakistan in Rawalpindi followed by a win in Dhaka as examples of progress driven largely by pace bowling.
However, there has also been inconsistency. Just over a year ago, Bangladesh lost to Zimbabwe in Sylhet. The same core group under captain Najmul Hossain Shanto played that match. Mushfiqur noted that the squad has not changed significantly in 13 months; the main difference has been Shanto’s batting form.
In his last five Tests, Shanto has scored four centuries and one half-century, averaging nearly 75 over the past year. During this period, Bangladesh drew a series in Sri Lanka, beat Pakistan in the World Test Championship cycle, and also defeated Ireland. With runs flowing from the top order, bowlers have had enough time to take 20 wickets—leading to improved results in Test cricket. Mushfiqur also acknowledged former captain Mominul Haque’s early recognition of the value of pace bowling in Bangladesh’s Test setup.
