You can bounce back; you need to believe and improve your skills: Mushtaq Ahmed

As the Chittagong Test reaches its second day, Bangladesh finds itself staring down the barrel of a heavy defeat. Despite playing on the same wicket, the contrasting performances of the two teams are stark. While South Africa confidently amassed 575 runs in their first innings, Bangladesh crumbled under pressure, losing four wickets for just 38 runs and trailing by 537 runs.

The day began on a troubling note for Bangladesh, with opener Saadman Islam dismissed for a duck by Kagiso Rabada in the first over. Zakir Hasan managed only 2 runs, and when Mahmudul Hasan Joy fell shortly after, the home side was left reeling at 29 runs with three wickets down. Even nightwatchman Hasan Mahmud couldn't provide stability, adding to the team's woes.

Despite this dire situation, the coaching staff is urging players to remain hopeful. Spin bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed addressed the media after a disappointing day's play, emphasizing the importance of maintaining belief and focusing on fundamentals.

“Cricket is a fun game. Whether in ODIs or Tests, it’s crucial to keep the basics right while understanding the situation and conditions,” Mushtaq explained. “This game is fundamentally about belief. I believe our young players are learning. Zakir and Saadman are new to the setup with foreign coaches. We need to improve in these areas. Let's not forget, they played well in the Pakistan series, winning a match even after losing six wickets for just 26 runs. I regret repeating this, but it proves what we coaches say: you can bounce back. You must improve your skills while holding onto that belief.”

Mushtaq offered advice on improving the players' performances, stating, “Cricket is a game where you must focus on the process rather than the result. When you follow the right processes, results will follow. Good players remember how they won matches. Our responsibility is to remind them of that. If we maintain our basics and keep our skills and processes intact, results will come.”

With the coaching staff emphasizing a return to basics and belief in their abilities, Bangladesh will need to regroup quickly if they are to turn the tide in this Test match.