India are better with SG balls: Taskin Ahmed admits Bangladesh's challenges

IND vs BAN: Fast bowler Taskin Ahmed said that Bangladesh found it tough to counter the SC ball in their opening Test against India at the Chepauk.

In Short

• Taskin Ahmed said that Bangladesh could not adjust to the SG ball
• India led by 308 runs at Stumps on Day 1
• Hasan Mahmud picked up a five-wicket haul

Taskin Ahmed said that Bangladesh have struggled in the Chennai Test due to their unfamiliarity with SG balls. The Tigers are reeling at the MA Chidambaram Stadium as India are leading by 308 runs with seven wickets left in their first innings. After the initial burst from Hasan Mahmud when they reduced their opponent to 144 for six, the visitors have lost their way.

Hasan Mahmud became the first Bangladeshi pacer to pick up a five-wicket haul on Indian soil, helping his team bowl India out for 376. Bangladesh looked hapless in their first innings, getting bowled out for 149 in 47.1 overs, thereby conceding a mammoth lead of 227 runs.

“We played well in Pakistan overall and hence, we won. In India, the conditions are challenging. India are getting more advantage due to SG balls. Indian cricketers play with SG balls from their childhood. India know how to use the balls better than us,” Taskin told reporters in the press conference after the day’s play.

Earlier before the series started, wicketkeeper-batter Litton Das also talked about the challenges Bangladesh were about to face with SG balls.

‘India are always strong opponents’

Taskin said that had batters played out the initial bursts from Jasprit Bumrah, Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj, Bangladesh would have done better with the bat.

“We could have batted well, although we struggled early. Batters accepted their mistakes. Had we played well with the new ball, we would not have lost so many wickets. For the middle order, playing with the new ball was tough,” Taskin said.

Taskin also admitted that Bangladesh weren’t up to the mark with the bat, especially in the third session on Day 1 when Ravi Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja put on 199 runs for the seventh wicket.

“Be it home or away, India are always strong opponents, and they are taking home advantage like any team. Even we have home matches coming up and we want to dominate as well. In Pakistan, the opponent and conditions were different. We should have bowled them out much earlier. We weren’t up to the mark after tea on Day 1. We could not live up to our potential,” Taskin added.

In the last session on Day 2, Taskin got the wicket of Rohit Sharma, but Bangladesh need early wickets on Day 3 to put India under some sort of pressure.