Much learning left as Tigers try to find Miraz’s role

It rained in Hyderabad yesterday afternoon, a day before the third and final T20I between Bangladesh and India, but soon it ebbed away giving way to sunshine, although not for very long.
As the groundsmen were bouncing balls on the pitch to check the bounce, the rain returned, leading to frantic efforts to cover the pitch at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. More rain is in the offing today in the morning but the skies should clear up before the dead rubber match begins in the evening.
The series is already lost for Bangladesh, having lost the first two games convincingly, so the only thing at stake for the Tigers today is pride.
After the hammerings they received in Gwalior and Delhi, a serious reflection on the difference in skill level between Bangladesh and India and how it can be reduced should have taken place. However, from the comments of Tigers’ fielding coach Nic Pothas, that does not seem to be the case.
“If we want to measure pure outcome, then there’s a lot of countries that come to India that have bad tours. You have to measure the learning. We have to consider the future, what is coming up – the Champions Trophy and the T20s,” he said yesterday at the press conference.
Yet, when asked what the actual learnings were, Pothas delved into vagueness.
“India would always put you under immense pressure because of the level of skill they have. So learning is how to absorb pressure for long periods of time, how do you read the game better under pressure but most importantly how you prepare.”
Today will also be Mahmudullah Riyad’s last hurrah as a T20I player, who is set to step away from the format after the match.
Mahmudullah’s departure from T20Is right on the back of Shakib Al Hasan’s, who had announced it in Kanpur before the second Test against India, marks a significant change in Bangladesh’s T20I landscape.
It was expected that Mehedi Hasan Miraz would perhaps step into Shakib’s shoes in T20Is but Pothas said the management is still unsure where the all-rounder fits in.
“At the moment, because he [Miraz] wasn’t at the T20 World Cup, we are going to be using him in different positions to actually find a role where he will play for the future,” Pothas said.
While the team management searches for a role for Miraz, who has not really found a foothold in T20 bowling, someone like Mahedi Hasan, who can be a good option as a Powerplay bowler, is not getting a lot of game time.
The confusion over the team’s makeup will only get worse going forward if the management does not find the answer, which so far has not come this series.