Wet pink ball practice for Bangladesh

Mehidy Hasan Miraz said the spinners dipped the ball in water to see how fast it can skid as the dew at Eden Gardens can spoil Bangladesh's plans.

Published : Nov 18, 2019 22:14 IST , Indore

To simulate match conditions at Eden Gardens, the Bangladesh spinners dipped the pink ball in water before rolling an arm.
To simulate match conditions at Eden Gardens, the Bangladesh spinners dipped the pink ball in water before rolling an arm.
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To simulate match conditions at Eden Gardens, the Bangladesh spinners dipped the pink ball in water before rolling an arm.

The Bangladesh cricket team utilised the two extra days of stay to study the pink ball under floodlights at the Holkar Stadium in Indore.

The historic day-night Test against India starts November 22 in Kolkata. And the dew at Eden Gardens is likely to throw a challenge post 7 pm. To simulate match conditions, the spinners dipped the ball in water before rolling an arm.

Off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz said, “The spinners can skid the ball and there could be a bit of bounce. Whatever we saw, the ball was bouncing a bit. We have practised with the wet ball. Even our pacers may do that [in Kolkata] to see if the movement is less and if they can also get the ball to skid.”

The Bangladesh coaches have instructed the spinners to keep tabs on the run-rate of the opposition side while bowling. “I spoke to our coaches and they told me to contain the runs as that can put the batsmen in pressure and he might end up throwing his wicket. India batted well in the first Test and played well against the length balls,” said Miraz.

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Though he is a No. 8 batsman, Bangladesh trusts him to deliver by holding his ground. Miraz — who showed a lot of promise in the second innings of the first Test by scoring 38 runs — had an extended net session with the bat. “The pink ball moved a bit and it is slightly quick once it hits the bat. It can cut through as well.

“The initial period of the pink ball will be a bit of a struggle but if you can adjust, it will be easier later. It is essential to be set early. At times, you can’t figure out the seam which could be a little tricky. Sighting the ball, even while fielding, is not a problem but we need to be careful as we haven’t practised for too long. We have just got an idea,” he said.

Miraz wants to prove his worth as a batsman as he believes the mid-senior crop comprising Liton Das, Mohammad Mithun and Shadman Islam and him, need to step up for Bangladesh to shine in Tests.

ALSO READ: India vs Bangladesh Day-Night Test: How Indians have fared in pink ball cricket

“In international cricket, one good ball can dismiss you. The other day, I could have supported Mushfiqur Rahim a bit more than I did. If I had, he could have scored more runs. Our coaches have told us to support a top-order batsman, if he still around and playing well, by surviving at least 20 to 30 balls even if we don’t score off them,” he reasoned.

The return to West Bengal

Not many are aware that Miraz had toured Kolkata in 2011 with the Bangladesh U-15 side. “I was the captain and we had played in and around Kolkata —Berhampore, Chakdaha, Nadia, Hooghly. I really have fond memories of that tour. There were a few umpires who I used to call  dada.  They had told me that one day I will play for Bangladesh.

"I don’t know if I can meet them but if I see them, I will recognise them. Those were valuable words and I remember them," he told  Sportstar .

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