Dhaka:Bangladesh batting coach Mohammad Salahuddin has emphasized the need for opener Shadman Islam to enhance his conversion rate by turning promising starts into substantial scores.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, in his 60 innings across 32 Tests, Shadman has achieved 10 half-centuries but only two centuries. He ended Day 1 of the opening Test against the West Indies unbeaten on 99, guiding Bangladesh to a score of 213-3. Should he reach a century on Day 2, it would mark only his third in Test cricket.
Salahuddin acknowledged Shadman's ability to assess conditions and praised his composure, noting that the left-hander successfully navigated difficult periods without taking unnecessary risks, eventually settling into his innings. Despite this, Salahuddin expressed concern over Shadman's conversion rate compared to other international openers and hopes that this innings will help him learn to extend his stays at the crease.
"He has scored many good, dominant fifties but could not make them bigger. I hope this innings teaches him a lot and makes it easier for him to score hundreds in the future," Salahuddin stated. He also expressed optimism about Bangladesh's chances, suggesting a target of over 400 runs would place them in a strong position, though he cautioned that the match was finely balanced with four days remaining.
Salahuddin noted that the pitch offered assistance to bowlers, but felt the Bangladesh batters handled the conditions well. He stressed that the first session on Thursday would be crucial for determining the course of the match, as Test cricket can change quickly. Additionally, he expected Towhid Hridoy to recover from cramps in time to resume batting.
Salahuddin credited former batting coach Mohammad Ashraful for the progress made by the batters and acknowledged the need for better coaching at the age-group level in Bangladesh to mentally prepare players for international cricket.