Why is Zakir-Dipu wearing helmet in slip position?

In a press conference today, Bangladesh representative Jakir Hasan shared insights on the use of helmets in slip fielding. He narrated the story behind the scenes. Given the extra bounce on pacers' deliveries, slip fielders need to stay alert. They position themselves as if they're expecting a catch to come to hand, hence Jakir and Dipu wore helmets while standing in the slips. Regarding missed catches, Jakir evaluated, "Everyone feels bad when a catch is dropped. We are trying, and hopefully, we will improve in this area."

Bangladesh was bowled out for under 200 runs in just five innings. Then, the Tigers' pacers took charge. In the second innings, Hasan Mahmud was the most threatening to Sri Lankan batters. Among the 6 wickets lost in the final session, Hasan claimed 4 scalps alone. Sri Lanka concluded the third day of the Chattogram Test after losing 6 wickets for 102 runs in 25 overs. Their lead stands at 456 runs. Angelo Mathews remains unbeaten on 39 runs.

In just one inning, there were seven missed catches, and Bangladesh's fielders have paid the price for it, particularly in Sri Lanka's first innings where they dismissed 10 batters. Slip fielding has been a debacle for Bangladesh in recent times, with numerous missed opportunities. Slip catches have been dropped repeatedly, and this has led to Sri Lanka capitalizing on the chances.

The evaluation of missed catches in the slips, according to Jakir, is, "Everyone feels bad when a catch is dropped. In this match too, we have had many dropped catches. So, there can be no excuse for this. If we feel bad, we won't catch later. We are trying, and hopefully, we will improve in this area."

In this Chattogram Test, Bangladesh's slip fielders showcased another incident. Jakir Hasan and Shahadat Hossain Dipu wore helmets while fielding in the slips. Yesterday afternoon, Shanto, Dipu, and Jakir, despite being three slip fielders together, failed to catch a catch that Prabath Jayasuriya played. It seemed like a concerted effort to drop catches. Even in that situation, Jakir and Dipu were in a helmeted state.

Explaining the reason for wearing helmets, Jakir mentioned, "The reason for wearing helmets is that if you notice, the bounce of the ball on the wicket is very low. As a result, the ball was not carrying properly. So, we were trying to wear helmets so that at least we could catch the ball cleanly. There is a chance of catching in hand rather than on the ground. So, for this reason, we were standing."