Bangladesh

All of the fuss over the West Indies contract dispute could be either a blessing or a curse for the Bangladesh team.

Whilst the obvious reaction is that it increases their chances of securing a first test win outside Bangladesh, is that really the case? West Indies are now fielding a mixture of debutants and players who thought their chance had gone. That makes for some seriously motivated players, which should make up for their unfamiliarity with each other. They also have nothing to lose, with minimal expectation placed upon them. With the regular players not likely to be in the best frame of mind for a series against the minnows of world cricket, they may have offered more opportunity through complacency for Bangladesh to exploit.

On the other hand, if Bangladesh lose this series, it will only enhance the calls for their demotion from Test status – if they can’t beat a scratch XI of one of the weaker teams in Test cricket, what chance do they have against anyone else.

Personally, I think that Bangladesh should be given the time they need to improve their standards. It is only really by playing against the best regularly that their current players can improve and filter that improvement into their domestic cricket structures. The emergence of Shakib-al-Hasan as a test quality all-rounder shows that improvement is being made, albeit slowly.

Removing their test status would only result in Test cricket becoming even more of a closed-shop, and sends a message to the likes of Ireland and China, who have ambitions to join the club in the future, that there is no way in. With the ICC currently investing heavily in the associates program, it would be counter-productive for them to relegate the last team to make the transition.

Given time, Bangladesh will improve. Most of the test nations have taken many years to reach the competitive level of the best teams – be it New Zealand, India, Sri Lanka – yet, have gone on to become power-houses in world cricket.