Bangladesh’s stand-in coach, Nic Pothas, expressed hope in the return of veteran all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan for the second Test against Sri Lanka, stating it would boost the team’s morale.
Sri Lanka dominated the first match, winning by 328 runs, while Bangladesh struggled to perform well, failing to reach 200 runs in either innings. Shakib, who has been absent for over a year due to his duties in the Bangladeshi parliament, is set to rejoin the squad for the upcoming match.
“We’re lucky to have Shakib Al Hasan back in the team. His presence brings a lot of positivity and energy,” Pothas told reporters. “He has a wealth of experience that our younger players can learn from, and he’s always willing to share his knowledge. Having Shakib around is really beneficial for us.”
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Pothas also defended Bangladesh’s young batsmen, explaining that the team is currently undergoing a transition phase with a new generation of players. “We have a young and inexperienced team now, compared to the past elite group. It will take time for them to develop and adapt to international cricket,” he said. “We ask for patience from the fans and supporters.”
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s captain, Dhananjaya de Silva, expressed confidence in his team’s top-order batsmen ahead of the second Test in Chittagong. Despite some early dismissals in the first Test, De Silva believed his batsmen would perform better in the upcoming match.
In the previous Test, Sri Lanka’s middle-order batsmen, De Silva and Kamindu Mendis, stood out with centuries in both innings, becoming only the third pair from the same country to achieve this feat in a Test match. The other pairs were Greg and Ian Chappell of Australia and Pakistan’s Misbah-ul-Haq and Azhar Ali.