There is no point in saying that this Sri Lankan team was much stronger. Even if they could not win the series, Bangladesh should have at least been able to draw with great respect. Our Test team has that ability. Sri Lanka batted well under pressure in a similar situation in Chittagong and drew. We could not do that. As I had said before in the team selection - having a spinner less, along with the failure of the top order batsmen, we had to lose the second Test and the series. Besides, when the team is facing a win or a loss, our batting is never good under such pressure, which was also proven once again.
If such a batting disaster happens once or twice, it can be considered an accident, but if it happens repeatedly, it is a very serious matter. There are batting coaches, expert coaches in the team. They cannot avoid the responsibility for this. Leaving aside the new batsmen, it is difficult to accept why even experienced batsmen are not getting runs. And seeing the bowling of Sri Lankan pacers in such conditions, we should realize how far behind we are in this department.
I think there should be open discussions within the team. Playing as a team becomes a great strength in times of pressure. We have to think about how much we can do that.
Now it seems like the time has come to consider whether to relieve our once-great batsman from the captaincy. It is certain that the captaincy is putting pressure on Mominul. And it is evident in his batting. I think it would be a good decision to relieve him of this responsibility.
With a player like Shakib, it would be foolish not to use him as captain, at least that's what I think. His observational skills, experience, position in the team, performance - all combined, can take the team to a good position if you put it in his hands. This could be an important decision on the West Indies tour.
Shakib should take charge of the team. I hope he will play Test cricket for another two-three years. He has that ability. I really hope that Shakib will take charge of the team and reorganize it. Whenever he becomes the captain, there will be a change in the team's culture, outlook, and goal setting. The team will get a chance to go to another level, both individually and collectively. I heard once that no one wants to be the captain, and the board doesn't want to give it to anyone. However, for the sake of the team, we should rise above all this and do this work first.
It is very important for team management to understand the psychology of players. Who responds in which situation, when the team is mentally good and when it is not - these need to be worked out. Decisions are often made based on assumptions. This is why local people are needed in team management. Our boys are not used to making decisions on their own due to environmental reasons, or they lack leadership qualities compared to other countries. Therefore, we should be very careful in managing our players. It will not work if we work based on assumptions. A local coach does not mean someone who can only translate. We need someone who can do much more.
