The series-deciding Test match between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka starts on Thursday (April 29, 2021). The second match will be played at the Pallekele cricket ground. The first Test was also played at this venue and it helped much to the batters. In other words, there was nothing for the bowlers on that pitch and the batsmen were able to time the ball perfectly. The curator is likely to make a sporting pitch for the second Test and Bangladeshi players have to perform well to win the series. So, the specific roles to perform by Bangladeshi players against Sri Lanka have been discussed below. 

The role that every Bangladeshiplayer must play against Sri Lanka

The probable Bangladesh XI for the second Test 

Tamim Iqbal, Saif Hassan, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, MominulHaque (Captain), Mushfiqur Rahim, Liton Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Abu Jayed Chowdhury Rahi, Ebadat Hossain

Read: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka Series 2021: First Test Player Ratings

1)   Tamim Iqbal

Bangladesh will heavily rely on experienced opener Tamim Iqbal in the batting lineup. Tamim's batting approach was seen to influence the latter batsmen in the first Test. Bangladesh team got comfortable with his aggressive style of batting. So Nazmul Hossain Shanto and Mominul Haque scored a century by batting with a lot of reliance. Tamim will have to bear the same responsibility in the series-deciding match. If Bangladesh gets off to a good start, the pressure on the middle order will be relieved and the team will be able to put up a big total. 

2)   Saif Hassan

Saif Hassan failed in both innings of the first Test against Sri Lanka. There were doubts about his inclusion in the XI for the second Test. However, Bangladesh coach Russell Doming has confirmed that Saif will play in the last match. The former captain of the Bangladesh U19 team is a gifted cricketer who can show off his abilities if given regular opportunities. Saif's main responsibility in this match will be to try to play big innings. At the very least, Saif will have to put on a 100-run partnership with Tamim Iqbal in the first innings.

3)   Nazmul Hossain Shanto

After several failures, Nazmul Hossain Shanto finally found success in the international arena in the first Test of this series. Bangladesh were able to score a lot in the first innings thanks to his 163 runs. Though he failed again in the second innings. Nazmul's prime focus should be to maintain consistency in batting. Because Shanto won't be able to strengthen his spot in the Bangladesh squad if he keeps failing.

4)   Mominul Haque

The role of captaincy is the most important, especially when we talk about the specific roles perform by Bangladeshi players against Sri Lanka. Captain Mominul Haque set a personal record by scoring a century in the first Test. Despite his batting prowess, Mominul was unable to display his merit as a captain because the Pallekele pitch had almost no assistance for the bowlers in the first Test. However, we can expect a sporting pitch for the second Test. Therefore, Mominul must improve his commitment to lead the team. If Bangladesh win this match under his guidance, it should be agreed that Mominul is improving as a captain.

Read: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka: Five Times When Bangladesh Stun Sri Lanka

5)   Mushfiqur Rahim

Mushfiqur Rahim is Bangladesh's most dependable batsman. His commitment to cricket sets an example for the younger generation. Rahim will have to do exemplary batting in the second Test.He must bat until the end of the innings after going down to bat in the middle order. Mushfiqur's main responsibility will be to take Bangladesh's innings to a better position. In that case, his job is to guide the lower middle order and lower-order batsmen.

6)   Liton Das

Liton bat in the top order in limited-overs cricket, but in Test format, this wicket-keeper batsman bat in the middle order. So his role in longer version cricket is different. Liton has to try to rebuild the innings if the team's position is bad. On the other side, if the team's position is strong, Liton would have to bat more aggressively to increase the run rate. One of Bangladesh's most stylish batsmen is capable of delivering outstanding service whenever the team needs him.

7)   MehidyHasanMiraz

MehidyHasanMiraz picked up only one wicket in the first Test, but he was economical with the ball. Miraj's spin should be ignited to increase Bangladesh's chances of victory. We all know that winning a Test match requires the ability to take all 20 wickets. Miraj will play a crucial role for Bangladesh in this situation. Miraj will have to put extra pressure on the batsmen by checking on the run flow and picking up wickets when necessary. It would be also helpful to the team if he can score some runs batting in the lower middle order.

8)   Taijul Islam

Left-arm Orthodox spinner Taijul Islam snatched two wickets in the first Test. However, he had nothing to do as the wicket did not offer anything to the bowlers. It is learned that the pitch of this match will not only be helpful for batting. Both the batsman and the bowler will be able to take extra advantage of the pitch. In this case, Taijul's spin will play a very important role for Bangladesh. His main responsibility will be to stop the run flow as well as pick wickets at regular intervals.

Read: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka series 2021: Test Rankings Prediction

9)   Taskin Ahmed

Taskin Ahmed, who had been out of the national team for a long time, made a good comeback to Test cricket. He was the most successful bowler of Bangladesh in the first Test. Taskin took 3 wickets for the team. The team management is trusting him in this match too. Taskin's key responsibility will be to provide the initial breakthroughs.

10) Abu Jayed Chowdhury Rahi

Medium-pacer Abu Zayed Chowdhury Rahi is a regular member of the Bangladesh Test setup. He has been representing Bangladesh in the Test format for the last two years. However, his performance in the first Test against the Lankans was disappointing. He gave away a lot of runs and didn't get a single wicket. So Rahi must try to reclaim his best form as well as concentrate on his swing deliveries if he is to be successful in this match.

11) Ebadat Hossain

Ebadat Hossain is another regular member of the Bangladesh Test side. Like Rahi, he also failed miserably in the series-opening Test. He also gave away a lot of runs by only taking one wicket. Bangladesh now have some pace options. If Ebadat wants to keep his place in the squad, he has to perform regularly. Ebadat must aspire to be the best player among the fast bowlers in this match and if he succeeds, Bangladesh will receive the benefits.

Read: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka: Top five memorable performances in Test Cricket.

Verdict

All must play responsibly in order to win the Test series against Sri Lanka. Captains and senior cricketers have a significant amount of duty for motivating players. Skipper Mominul Haque will have to act responsibly for encouraging the team whenever Bangladesh lose control of the match. However, the specific roles to perform by Bangladeshi players against Sri Lanka would be crucial here. Bangladesh does have a chance to win the series if they can maintain great determination during the match.