Bangladesh vs Australia 2017: 5 Bangladeshi players to watch out for
The last time the Baggie Greens toured Bangladesh was in 2006 – which, to be honest, was before I even reached puberty. 11 years later, the Kangaroos are back again in the land of the Tigers, but so much has changed from the last time they were here.
Right now, Bangladesh cricket is at its pinnacle. Back then, Bangladesh were just a punching bags for the mighty teams to pounce on. However, this time around, Bangladesh are no longer just a pushover and many actually think that the hosts are the favourites to win the series.
In their historic last Test against Sri Lanka, which was the nation’s 100th in the format, Bangladesh dismantled the Lankans to win the game. Australia, however, is made of much better stuff (even after considering their humiliation in Sri Lanka), but the confidence is high among the Bangladeshis.
And here are the five Bangladesh players that everyone should look out for.
#5 Soumya Sarkar
Now, this is a guy who gets a lot of stick for his inconsistent performances. Indeed, when he was announced as the icon of the Chittagong franchise of the upcoming Bangladesh Premier League, many ridiculed the decision.
But let’s not forget the fact that his bat played the biggest role in Bangladesh’s ODI series win against South Africa in 2015. Yes, we are not supposed to live in the past – and I, for one, don’t advocate that either – but the thing is, Sarkar can actually inflict a lot of damage when he is in full swing.
At his best, his batting is an art that looks like a more elegant and left-handed version of Virender Sehwag. With minimal footwork and optimum hand-eye coordination, he can power the ball almost anywhere on the field and can desecrate the Australian bowlers without even giving them a chance to look in.