Shakib looks hungry to play Test cricket: Bangladesh coach Russell Domingo

Shakib Al Hasan, who is returning to Test cricket for the first time since January this year, seemed to have impressed coach Russell Domingo who praised the player’s hunger to play in the longest format of the game. 

“Shakib looks hungry to play Test cricket again. And this is the thing with the big players, their desire and attitude when they play Test cricket is an asset,” Domingo said in a video uploaded by BCB’s official Twitter handle. 

“He balances the side. He bast in the top six and is a frontline bowler and that’s what any international team is looking at. He has brought in really good energy and it’s really nice to have him back,” the coach added about the all-rounder. 

Domingo, who has spent a lot of time in Zimbabwe with the South Africa A side feels that the Bangladesh team must be patient to be able to create chances at Harare. 

“Patience is very important while playing in Harare. I have been here a few times and the scoring rate is not going to be very high  It’s going to be a patient game, whether you are batting or bowling, you got to maintain pressure for a long time,” he said.  

The 46-year-old, whose contract was renewed by the BCB till the upcoming T20- World Cup, also warned his team to not let chances go begging as they come very hard in Test cricket and especially on this Harare wicket. 

“It’s not going to be like you can run through the batting lineup or score 350 runs in a day. Now we know that we have our work cut out for the next few days. Chances do not come around very often on these surfaces and when they do come, we have to make sure that we hold on to them,” Domingo said. 

It has been seven years since a Bangladeshi fast bowler took a five-wicket haul in Test cricket, the last one being Robiul Islam, who took a five-wicket haul on the 2013 tour of Zimbabwe. He went on to become Player of the Series for his 15 wickets in the two matches. But ever since then, it has been a hard toil for Bangladeshi pacers. 

Domingo however believes that the days are not far when a fast bowler would win a game for Bangladesh once again in Test cricket. 

“The fast bowlers have been working hard with Otis [Gibson] and they never shy away from putting in the hard yard. The success has bit really shown though they have been putting in a lot of effort. But I am sure we are not far away when one of the fast bowlers would win us a Test in tough conditions,” the coach said. 

Bangladesh plays a solitary Test starting July 7 on their tour of Zimbabwe where they will play three ODIs and three T20Is as well.