Bangladesh national cricket team head coach Phil Simmons has expressed serious concern over spinner Taijul Islam’s form and the team's struggling batting lineup ahead of the second and final Test against West Indies starting Thursday in Sylhet.
The Tigers enter the match under pressure after an eight-wicket defeat in the first Test in Dhaka.
Taijul Islam, Bangladesh’s leading Test wicket-taker has taken just five wickets in his last four Test appearances while managing a shoulder injury. Coach Simmons admitted the coaching staff is considering playing without the 34-year-old left-arm spinner if conditions dictate. In the Dhaka Test, Bangladeshi batters surrendered 16 wickets to West Indies spinners while the home side's spin unit managed only eight.
However Bangladesh’s primary challenge lies in its top-order batting. The team has failed to secure a win across any format since its Test victory in Darwin in mid-August, suffering consecutive defeats in the Asian Games, the UAE ODI tri-series and the first Test.
"Since Darwin, we haven't batted well" Simmons noted during a pre-match press conference. "We have to step up how we play against their bowlers, how we score and how we defend."
The middle order receives a boost with the return of veteran batter Mushfiqur Rahim from a finger injury. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto will continue at number three in the absence of Mominul Haque who was ruled out due to a concussion. Domestic standout Amite Hasan has joined the squad as coverage.
