Sports Desk

Bangladesh all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz feels that they lacked preparation for Test cricket as they came into the longer-format game following T20Is and ODIs.

Lack of preparations behind Test downfall: Mehidy“I think we could not prepare well because we play T20s and later ODIs and after two days break, we came to play Tests and it could be reason behind our downfall,” Mehidy told the reporters after third day of the first Test against Sri Lanka at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

“I think we are playing for a long time in Tests and if you see preparation-wise we are taking it individually and everyone knows about the condition. In Tests, batsmen need to step up and that is when Test cricket goes big. When we picked up five wickets in their first innings what were we thinking that we would bowl them out within 100 runs but still they had a partnership. Two of them scored 100 and that is Test cricket like if the batsmen don’t score at the top of two can score 100 or 150 in that case there is an opportunity,” he said.

“As a professional cricketer we have to accept good and bad days. Certainly, it feels bad as we are performing badly as a unit and no individual is doing well. In Tests, everyone has to Lack of preparations behind Test downfall: Mehidyplay well specially from the batting group,” he added.

Hosts Bangladesh came up with a reckless batting display on Sunday to be on the brink of a big margin defeat in the opening match of the two-match Test series against the tourists in Sylhet.

Chasing 511 for victory, Tigers were reduced to 47-5 at stumps on the third day in just 13 overs and with five wickets in hand they still needed 464 runs for a victory, a record chase for the hosts.

Mehidy also feels that they need to develop skill to do well in Test cricket. “I think we need to develop our skill seeing our lacking and probably our batsmen are having a tendency of playing too many shots in Tests. Probably, we are playing the ball that we can leave easily and that is why we are getting out and our players need to work individually to develop in Tests,” he said adding that he is not aware what went through the mind of the individual cricketers.

“I think the individual player can say in what situation he is going through and what he was thinking at that moment. I think it is tough to bat at the end of the day and certainly we have to take the challenge as we are professional players. It is disappointing the way we got out and what can I say we have to play well,” he added.

“I won’t say the wicket is that bad and it's ideal to bat but it’s difficult for the batsmen in the first 20 overs because with the new ball there is seam movement and swing and the top order had to face a lot of challenges,” he concluded.