Mashrafe Mortaza wants Bangladesh to play 3-match Test series

Bangladesh ODI captain Mashrafe Mortaza has urged Bangladesh to play more Test matches to improve their game in the longest format of the game. The Tigers drew the two-match Test series against Australia 1-1. Mashrafe believes the time has come Bangladesh play three-match series in Tests as two games are not enough to pick a winner.

They defeated Australia within four days in Dhaka by a 20-run margin in the first match of the series and had a great opportunity to win the series against the Aussies for the first time. But the visitors made the stunning comeback in the second Test to level the series. It would have been up to the decider if they had 3 matches in the series. Both the teams fought really hard and deserved an individual shot at the trophy instead of sharing it.

I want Bangladesh to play more Tests

The ODI skipper felt that the time has come for Mushfiqur Rahim & Co. to play three-Test series’ in order to improve significantly. “England and Sri Lanka series were also drawn 1-1. Now this series. Now it’s time for us to play three-match series at least at home. We need to play more and more Tests for it,” he said.

Mortaza also stressed on the need of playing more number of Test matches like other nations. “The way our team is moving forward, there is no alternative of playing more matches to maintain consistency or improve more. I want 8-10 Tests in a year rather than 4-6 Tests. There will be three-match series to increase the number of matches,” the fast bowler added.

Bangladesh last played a three-match Test series in 2003 against Pakistan away from home which they lost 0-3. They had been whitewashed by Sri Lanka as well in 2007 in three back to back matches.

The Tigers are expected to play their next three-match Test series in January-February 2019 against Zimbabwe at home. Couple more three-match Test series against New Zealand at home and away are also scheduled in the same year in the Future Tours Programme (FTP) of ICC.