Bangladesh’s pace bowling coach, Andre Adams, emphasizes the need for his team to focus on Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan ahead of the second Test, starting August 30 in Rawalpindi.
Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan are key figures in Pakistan’s batting lineup across formats. In the first Test, Rizwan excelled with scores of 171* and 51 in the two innings.
In contrast, Babar Azam had a disappointing performance, being dismissed for a duck on his second ball in the first innings and scoring just 22 in the second innings.
Patience is a key factor in Pakistan – Andre Adams
During an interview with The Daily Star, Andre Adams spoke on the importance of patience while playing Test cricket in Pakistan. He also hinted that Bangladesh are likely to go with the same plan for the second Test.
“I don’t know what sort of wicket we will get for the second Test. I don’t know how much the plan will change. This is a country where you have to be patient in Test matches.
“I don’t see the plans changing too much from the blueprint of the previous game. The plans could change if they (Pakistan) change their playing XI,” Adams said.
The first Test match produced a typically flat batting pitch which has been the trend in Pakistan for the last few years. Although there was some help with the new ball, but the pitch became flat as the ball got older.
The high temperatures in Rawalpindi didn’t help the cause either as the bowlers struggled to bowl longer spells in the scorching heat.
Pakistan played four specialist fast bowlers but could not produce the desired result as Bangladesh scored its highest-ever total against Pakistan.
Andre Adams breaks silence on Bangladesh’s plans for Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan
The Bangladesh pace bowling coach was also asked about the plans for Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan. Adams wants Bangladesh to pay more attention to Pakistan’s top batters.
“I can’t share the plan (laughs). Obviously, Babar is a great player and you have to be clear about what you want to do to get him out early. You have to pay attention to guys like Babar and (Mohammad) Rizwan, who can take the game away from you,” Adams said.
Bangladesh’s bowlers were spot on in the first Test against Babar Azam although they struggled against Mohammad Rizwan. If they manage to get rid of both these batters quickly, Bangladesh can put Pakistan under lots of pressure.
Bangladesh will be high on confidence after the victory in the first Test. They have jumped to the sixth spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) rankings and will be looking to add some more points to their tally. Meanwhile, Pakistan will be under pressure in home conditions as they look to finish the series on a high.
