'We have a responsibility to bring Test culture back' - Shakib Al Hasan after series loss in West Indies

Following a 2-0 loss to West Indies in the away Test series, Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan said that his side needs to improve in every department to do well in the format. He feels Bangladesh has the responsibility to bring the culture of Test cricket back into the cricketing nation.

Speaking about the loss in the previous Test match against West Indies, Shakib stated that his side was not as tough as they needed to be in terms of showing character. He felt the team lost wickets just before the end of sessions, which made the difference.

“We tended to lose wickets just before a drinks break, a lunch break or before the rain. If we didn’t lose these wickets, things would have been quite different,” Shakib was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo. “This is a part of game awareness. We weren’t as tough as we could have been, in terms of showing character in this Test match.”

We really don’t have a new set of players who will do well: Shakib Al Hasan

“We have to improve in every department to do well in Tests. It is good that a big gap is coming up (before we play the next Test). Those who are interested in playing Tests can improve themselves during this time. We really don’t have a new set of players who will do well immediately after coming to this level,” he added.

The 35-year-old also said that the team has to bring changes in many aspects including the thought process. He believes that if the team does not lose at home, they will be more competitive in overseas tours. In the recent series, the Asian team lost both the matches convincingly as West Indies won the first match by seven wickets in Antigua and the second by ten wickets in Saint Lucia. 

Speaking about creating a Test culture in Bangladesh, he said, “We have a responsibility to bring Test culture back to the country. We have to plan ahead, otherwise, we can’t get too far. I wouldn’t say that we don’t value Test cricket. But we don’t have good results. These two go hand-in-hand.”