Mominul Haque has been captaining the Bangladesh Test team since the 2019 India tour. His Test captaincy credibility has been a hot topic. One of the key reasons is that Bangladesh haven't improved much as a team under his leadership. There was anticipation that Bangladesh's Test side would rediscover their stride after a stunning victory against New Zealand in the first Test in January 2022. Though their recent Test series loss to South Africa dashed such hopes. Let's take a look at Mominul Haque's Test captaincy record. Mominul Haque’s Record as Test Captain Mominul Haque was appointed as the permanent captain of Bangladesh's Test side in the year 2019. He is the eleventh Test captain of Bangladesh and has led the side on 15 occasions. Mushfiqur Rahim is the most successful captain in Bangladesh with 7 wins. Mominul Haque and Shakib Al Hasan have led Bangladesh to three wins each. As per stats, Mominul has a 20% winning percentage, which is the third best among the captains. So, according to Bangladesh's captaincy records, Mominul Haque's performance hasn't been the worst. In reality, he is one of Bangladesh's most successful Test captains. Read SA vs BAN 2022: Bangladesh's trip to South Africa ends with a crushing defeat Bangladesh’s Test Captaincy Record Player Match Won Lost Draw Win% Naimur Rahman 7 0 6 1 0 Khaled Mashud 12 0 12 0 0 Khaled Mahmud 9 0 9 0 0 Habibul Bashar 18 1 13 4 5.55 Mohammad Ashraful 13 0 12 1 0 Mashrafe Mortaza 1 1 0 0 100 Shakib Al Hasan 14 3 11 0 21.42 Mushfiqur Rahim 34 7 18 9 20.58 Tamim Iqbal 1 0 1 0 0 Mahmudullah Riyad 6 1 4 1 16.66 Mominul Haque 15 3 11 1 20    Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/ Read Lack of team effort cost us the match: Mominul Many argue that Mominul Haque’s batting performance has declined since becoming Test skipper. But the stats show that Mominul is the third-most prolific scorer on the team after becoming captain. He is also the third-most prolific run scorer both at home and abroad. Top five Test run scorers under Mominul Haque's captaincy Player Match Runs HS Ave 100s Liton Das 15 1,066 114 44.41 2 Mushfiqur Rahim 13 903 203* 45.15 1 Mominul Haque 15 901 132 34.65 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto 13 769 163 32.04 2 Tamim Iqbal 7 521 92 43.41 0    Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/ Read Imran Khan: The Greatest Pakistani Cricketer Criticism of Mominul Haque's Captaincy during the South Africa Series Mominul Haque and head coach Russell Domingo were widely reported to desire to bat first in the first Test in Durban. However, Mominul had to change his mind due to the objections of senior cricketers. Considering this, it's clear that he is unable to make many decisions on his own owing to the influence of senior cricketers. Mominul's immaturity has also been apparent in his review-taking. According to statistics, he has lost the most reviews among the captains in recent years. Besides, he isn't known for being particularly active in the field. Mominul does little to motivate the team, which has a negative influence on their performance. He was heavily criticized on these issues in the South Africa series. Read SA vs BAN 2022: Bangladesh’s Top Five Performers From South Africa Tour Way Forward Mominul Haque has been given enough time by the BCB to develop as a Test captain. However, statistics indicate that the left-handed batter has done little to enhance the Bangladesh Test team's dressing room environment. Rather, he was criticized for his lack of vision in making decisions. Mominul must be prompt in order to make critical decisions. Another complaint leveled against Mominul is that his batting form has decreased after being named Test captain. However, the southpaw's batting statistics as skipper reflect that he has been one of Bangladesh's top three run scorers in the last three years. Mominul Haque may not be the best Test captain for Bangladesh Team at the moment. Though no one can doubt that Bangladesh earned their greatest-ever Test triumph over New Zealand in January of this year while he was captain. The BCB will have to decide whether or not to keep Mominul Haque as Test captain. If the cricket board decides to change the captaincy, they must make a well-thought-out decision after analyzing a variety of factors. Read Khaled fined for throwing ball at SA player

Bangladesh's national men’s cricket team made history when they clinched the ODI series (2-1) against the hosts in South Africa for the first time since playing their first limited-overs match there in 2002. However, Bangladesh’s performance in the Test series was very poor. They were whitewashed (2-0) by a second-string Proteas Test side. Some of the Bangladeshi players' performances on the South Africa trip were eye-catching. Let’s take a look at the top five performers from Bangladesh's squad for the SA vs BAN 2022 series.  Bangladesh's top five performers in the SA vs BAN 2022 series Bangladesh played a total of five matches against South Africa in the just-concluded trip. Three of them were limited-overs matches, while the other two were Test matches. Most of the players from Bangladesh had a good outing in the ODI format as they managed to beat the Proteas in the series. On the other hand, only a couple of players had a good outing in the Test series. Let’s find out the Bangladesh players who impressed everyone with their performances. Tamim Iqbal Bangladesh ODI captain Tamim Iqbal silenced his critics by creating history in South Africa. The Tamim-led team overcame a full-strength Proteas limited-overs side twice in the 3-match series. Tamim was praised for his leadership aptitude, ability to handle pressure in difficult situations and, more importantly, his decision-making on the field was very effective. So, Tamim’s performance as a captain was one of the best for Bangladesh during the trip. Besides, he was the top scorer in the ODI series with 129 runs.  Read Imran Khan: The Greatest Pakistani Cricketer Taskin Ahmed Taskin Ahmed has been a revolutionary bowler ever since he returned to the Bangladesh national side in 2021. His performance at home and away has been so consistent, and the South Africa series is no different. The tall right-hand pacer bagged 8 wickets with an average of 14 in the ODI series, including a 5-wicket haul in the crucial series decider. Taskin was awarded Player of the Series for his brilliant contribution with the ball. He played the first Test and bagged 2 wickets at a 2.73 economy rate. Taskin missed the second Test due to an injury, but he was one of the shining stars of Bangladesh during the South Africa trip.  Mahmudul Hasan Joy Bangladesh’s young and talented opener, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, played an outstanding knock in the first innings of the first Test. His 137-run innings helped Bangladesh score close to 300. Had Mahmudul not played that knock, Bangladesh could have failed to avoid the follow-on. Because no other batter made even fifty, except Mahmudul’s very patient batting effort. Joy failed to emulate his performance in the rest of the innings of the series, but no one can deny the fact that it was a special performance among the Bangladeshi players. Taijul Islam The left-arm spinner, Taijul Islam, was overlooked for the first Test and it was a bad decision. Taijul was picked for the second match, and his bowling performance was outstanding. Taijul bowled a marathon spell in the first innings and picked up six wickets. He also bagged three more wickets in the second innings and finished the match with a figure of 9/202. Taijul achieved multiple milestones with his performance, including a 150 Test wicket haul.  Read SA vs BAN 2022: Bangladesh's trip to South Africa ends with a crushing defeat Shakib Al Hasan For family reasons, ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan didn’t play in the Test series. But Shakib’s all-round contributions in the ODI series helped Bangladesh dominate the South African side. Shakib played a very crucial match-winning 77-run knock in the first ODI and also picked up three important wickets in the series. His presence in the squad boosted the confidence of the Bangladesh players, which was reflected in their on-field performance.  Aftermath Bangladesh played very well as a team and they were the dominant side in the limited-overs contest. Among the players, pacer Taskin Ahmed and two veterans, Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan, made important contributions that helped Bangladesh win the ODI series. But the best performance of the trip came from Mahmudul Hasan Joy’s willow. His 137-run knock in the first innings of the first Test is arguably one of the best in Bangladesh Test cricket history. Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam’s performance in the second Test was also noteworthy. The players who excelled for Bangladesh in the SA vs BAN 2022 series have gained a great deal of confidence, which will help them perform even better on future overseas tours. The good news is that Bangladeshi players' performances in difficult foreign conditions have been improving steadily.   Read Bangladesh suffer another thumping defeat against South Africa

Bangladesh’s tour of South Africa came to an end with a crushing 332-run defeat by the hosts in the second match of the SA vs BAN 2022 Test series on Monday (April 11). With this easy victory, South Africa whitewashed (2-0) Bangladesh in the Test series. On the other hand, Bangladesh’s biggest achievement on the tour was winning the ODI series 2-1 against a full-strength Proteas national side last month. The second match report as well as the top performers from the Test series are discussed in this article. Second Test Match Report: South Africa vs Bangladesh 2022 Series Opted to bat first, South Africa managed to put up a total which was a real challenge for Bangladesh to counter. South Africa made 453 runs in their first innings, during which Keshav Maharaj played a crucial 84-run knock lower down the order. Skipper Dean Elgar scored 70 runs at the top of the order and gave the hosts a perfect start to the innings. For Bangladesh, left-arm spinner Taijul Islam bagged six wickets and became the only Bangladesh player after Shakib Al Hasan to scalp six wickets in an innings in South Africa. Read IPL 2022 KKR vs DC: Delhi's Mustafizur could be crucial against Kolkata In reply, Bangladesh made only 217 runs and failed to avoid the follow-on. Though South African skipper Dean Elgar didn’t force Bangladesh to bat again. Rather he decided to bat again in order to give Bangladesh a massive target. At the end of the first innings, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Yasir Ali, and Mushfiqur Rahim all made some runs in the first innings, with Mr. dependable Mushfiqur Rahim (51) being the only half-centurion of the Bangladesh innings. South Africa declared their second innings on 176/6d after setting a 413-run target for Bangladesh. Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam once again was the top performer with the ball. He bagged three wickets in the second innings and finished his match figures with 9/202. Read SA vs BAN Second Test 2022: Taijul Islam Reaches Unique Milestone Chasing a massive target, Bangladesh's batters choked against the South African bowling line-up. Bangladesh were dismissed for only 80 runs in just 23.3 overs. Keshav Maharaj picked up 7 wickets in the second innings against Bangladesh. Player of the Series Left-arm orthodox spinner Keshav Maharaj was in superb form in the Test series. He was named player of the match after taking 9 wickets in the second game and scoring an important 84 runs in the first innings. Keshav Maharaj took the most wickets (16) with an average of 12.12 in this two-match longer-version contest. With the bat, he scored 108 runs. Keshav Maharaj deservedly received the player of the series award for his superb all-round effort during the SA vs BAN 2022 Test series. Top Performers: South Africa vs Bangladesh Test Series 2022 There were a few notable performers on both sides in the Test series between Bangladesh and South Africa. But South Africa’s left-arm orthodox spinner, Keshav Maharaj, was the best among them. He was awarded the best player for his consistent performances in the Test series. Apart from him, Bangladesh’s young top-order batter, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, stunned everyone with his patient 137-run knock in the first innings of the first Test in Durban. Proteas skipper Dean Elgar also played a crucial part in batting, while Bangladesh’s left-arm orthodox spinner Taijul Islam did an excellent job with the ball in the second Test match. Here are some of the top performers in the series. Read Mehidy escapes injury scare after being hit on stomach Top Three most runs in the Test series Player Innings Runs HS Average 100s Dean Elgar (SA) 4 227 70 56.75 0 Temba Bavuma (SA) 4 194 93 48.50 0 Mahmudul Hasan Joy (BAN) 4 141 137 35.25 1    Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/ Read Bangladesh lose 3 wickets to stare down the barrel in Port Elizabeth Top Three most wickets in the Test series Player Innings Wickets BBI BBM Ave Econ 5W Keshav Maharaj (SA) 4 16 7/32 9/97 12.12 2.33 2 Simon Harmer (SA) 4 13 4/103 7/124 15.15 2.78 0 Taijul Islam (BAN) 2 9 6/135 9/202 22.44 3.10 1    Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/ Read T20 World Cup 2024: ICC Confirmed the Qualification Route for Marquee Events Aftermath It was expected that Bangladesh would upset South Africa in the Test series after a spectacular ODI series triumph against the Proteas last month. Bangladesh's overall performance in the Test series was terrible, with the exception of a few outstanding individual performances. The team tigers seemed to be without a proper game plan, and the batters' attitude to a second-string South African bowling unit was extremely disappointing. Mominul Haque's credibility as a Test captain has been questioned. Furthermore, the role of experienced players on the squad has been criticized. The BCB will need to take even more effective actions in order to achieve better results against stronger opposition in the longer-version format. Overall, the SA vs BAN 2022 series was both a success and a failure.  Read Bangladesh suffer another thumping defeat against South Africa

Most of Bangladesh’s bowlers were ineffective against the South African batting unit, except left-arm orthodox spinner Taijul Islam and pacer Ebadot Hossain in the first innings of SA vs BAN second Test 2022. The hosts were watchful against Taijul, as his bowling stats showed that he was the most economical bowler among the Bangladesh players. Taijul took 6 wickets in the innings, becoming the second Bangladesh bowler to collect 150 Test wickets, by exerting pressure on the Proteas batters. Let’s take a look at Taijul Islam’s Test career at a glance. Taijul Islam’s Milestones in the First Innings of South Africa-Bangladesh Second Test Taijul Islam’s brilliant accuracy put pressure on the Proteas batters. However, Bangladesh couldn’t capitalize on Taijul’s effective bowling because of a lack of pressure from the other end. Taijul Islam finished his spell with a 6/135 after 50 overs of bowling. It showed what a marathon spell he had during the first innings of the match. Take a look at the records Taijul grasped during South Africa’s first innings of SA vs BAN second Test 2022. 150 Test Wickets Taijul Islam’s bowling stats in the longer-version format has been brilliant. He has picked up 150 wickets in 61 Test innings with an average of 32.21. He became the second Bangladesh player, after Shakib Al Hasan, to pick up 150 Test wickets. Read IPL 2022 KKR vs DC: Delhi's Mustafizur could be crucial against Kolkata Top Five Wicket Takers in Test for Bangladesh (as of April 09, 2022) Player Innings Wickets BBI Average Econ Shakib Al Hasan 99 215 7/36 31.30 2.98 Taijul Islam 61 150 8/39 32.21 3.07 Mehidy Hasan Miraz 55 126 7/58 35.05 3.14 Mohammad Rafique 48 100 6/77 40.76 2.79 Mashrafe Mortaza 51 78 4/60 41.52 3.24    Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/ Read Bangladesh 139-5 at stumps, trails South Africa by 314 runs Sixth Bangladesh Player to take Six-Wicket in an Innings in abroad  Taijul Islam became the sixth Bangladeshi bowler to take six wickets in an away Test innings. Bangladeshi players had previously taken six wickets in foreign venues five times. Shakib Al Hasan is among them, with two six-wickets in an innings. Six Wickets haul in an innings by Bangladesh players (Away Test) Player Bowling Figures Opposition Year Shakib Al Hasan 6/33 West Indies 2018 Ebadot Hossain 6/46 New Zealand 2022 Robiul Islam 6/71 Zimbabwe 2013 Manjurul Islam 6/81 Zimbabwe 2001 Shakib Al Hasan 6/99 South Africa 2008 Taijul Islam 6/135 South Africa 2022    Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/ Read Mohammedan in trouble after another defeat Second spinner to take fifer at St George's Park, Gqeberha Before this SA vs BAN second Test 2022, only one spinner picked a fifer at St. George’s Park in Gqeberha. South Africa's off-spinner, Hugh Joseph Tayfield, snatched 6/78 wickets against England in 1957. 65 years later, Taijul Islam became the second spinner to snatch a fifer on this ground. Bangladesh's second bowler to take six wickets in South Africa In 2008, ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan bagged six wickets in an innings against the hosts in South Africa. 14 years later, left-arm spinner Taijul Islam became the second Bangladesh bowler to scalp six wickets in an innings in South Africa. Bottom Line Taijul Islam’s personal achievements have been overshadowed by South Africa’s commanding first-innings total. It would have been much better if Bangladesh had restricted South Africa to around 300 runs in order to stay firm in the game. However, Bangladesh still has a chance to make a comeback if the batters do their part in both the innings of the SA vs BAN second Test 2022. Hopefully, Taijul Islam will fire up in South Africa’s second innings just like he did in the first innings.  Read Taijul bags six, South Africa end on 453

South Africa elected to bat first in the SA vs BAN second Test 2022 that could be helpful to the spinners in the later stages of the match. The reason behind this decision was not to face Bangladesh's slower bowlers in the final four sessions at least. As per experts, the final day could be hard for the batters to negotiate spinners. South Africa are in line for 400 runs in the first innings after finishing on 278/5 at the end of day 1. On the other hand, the Bangladesh team is hoping to pick all of the South African wickets as early as possible so that they can bat deep in the first innings. First Day Report of the South Africa-Bangladesh Second Test of 2022 Bangladesh made two changes for this match, and one was inevitable after Taskin Ahmed’s departure from South Africa due to an injury. Taijul Islam, a left-arm orthodox spinner, has been selected in place of Taskin Ahmed, and veteran opener Tamim Iqbal has been selected in place of Shadman Islam. South Africa made no changes to their playing XI. Bangladesh bowlers were on top of their game in the final session. They conceded 79 runs in 32 overs and picked up two crucial wickets. Taijul Islam and Mehidy Miraz bowled the majority of the overs in the third session, and they were successful in keeping the batters relatively quiet. South Africa's total would have surpassed 300 runs on day one if Bangladesh had conceded as many runs as they did in the first two sessions. Therefore, the bowling unit deserves credit for making a strong recovery in the last session. Read Taijul bags three as Bangladesh put some pressure back on hosts Earlier, Dean Elgar and Sarel Erwee made a fantastic start to the South African innings. They went hard at the Bangladesh bowlers and scored at a rapid pace. Though a part of the blame should go to the bowlers, who didn’t follow the basics of Test bowling. The majority of the bowls were either wide outside the off-stumps or ineffective shot length deliveries. Understandably, The Proteas batters picked them early on and gave them the treatment they deserved.  South Africa made 52/0 at the end of 11 overs, a start that the hosts were hoping for. However, Bangladesh bowlers started to find rhythm after that and got the first breakthrough in the 12th over by pacer Khaled Ahmed. He made some adjustments in his bowling and bowled the first maiden over of the innings, including the wicket of Sarel Erwee. South Africa finished with 107/1 at lunch but lost skipper Dean Elgar (70) within five overs of the second session. Taijul Islam picked the wicket of Dean Elgar and also removed Keegan Petersen (64) before the tea. Read South Africa 199-3 vs. Bangladesh after Elgar, Petersen 50s On day 1, Taijul Islam and Khaled Ahmed were the only wicket-takers for Bangladesh, and they combined to bowl 52 overs out of 90. Taijul’s bowling stats on day 1 was 32-7-77-3, indicating that he would be the main weapon of Bangladesh's bowling attack in the remainder of the match. What to Expect from the Bangladesh Batting Unit in the First Innings  Bangladesh team management will be hoping for a strong start in the first innings of the SA vs BAN second Test 2022. The belief comes from Mahmudul Hasan Joy’s marvelous knock in the first innings of the first Test at the Kingsmead in Durban. With 137 runs, Joy became the highest scorer in an innings in South Africa among the Asian openers. If Bangladesh's opening pair can provide a firm foundation for the innings, the middle order should be able to perform better. Mominul, Mushfiqur, and Litton are all capable of producing a big knock on any surface in the world. They did it before, and there is no reason why they can't do it again against a less-strong South African bowling unit. The surface may get flattered a bit on day three and day four before giving more assistance to the slower bowlers in the last few sessions. In that context, Bangladesh's middle order should feel confident in their ability to bat deep for a big total in the first innings. Read South Africa bat first in 2nd Test vs Tigers Apart from them, the selectors focus would be on Najmul Hossain Shanto and Yasir Ali. These two are promising young talents, but they need to showcase their ability on the international stage on a regular basis. Mehidy Hasan Miraz has shown real promise with the bat in recent international matches and has given the Bangladesh team a lot of confidence in the lower order. Miraz can add some valuable runs in the Bangladesh innings by forming some crucial partnerships with the tailenders. Bangladesh’s primary target should be to take some lead in the first innings, but before that, the bowlers have to do their job by bowling South Africa out for less than 350. Bottom Line  The Bangladesh team’s performance in the year 2022 has been mostly fantastic. It seems Bangladesh cricket is ready to go to the next level if properly nurtured. They astonished New Zealand away from home earlier in January, and only a few weeks ago, they surprised the cricketing world by winning an ODI series against South Africa by 2-1. The Test series is now 1-0 in favour of South Africa. They are now playing against the hosts in the second Test at St. George's Park in Port Elizabeth. The Bangladesh team has a good opportunity in the second match because the hosts have a poor record here. However, Bangladesh’s chances in the SA vs BAN second Test 2022 will increase if they can take a good first-innings lead over South Africa.  Read SA vs BAN 2022: Bangladesh Aspire to Level the Test Series with Fresh Strategy

After winning the limited-overs series, the Bangladesh team was hoping to carry the momentum into the longer-version format against a less-strong South African side. However, their effort in the first Test was dashed as the team tigers' batters choked severely against the Proteas spinners in the second innings on the fifth day. Senior batters need to step up if the visitors want to upset the hosts in the second match. The second match preview of SA vs BAN 2022 is discussed in this article. Second Match Preview of the 2022 South Africa-Bangladesh Test Series Two of Bangladesh’s premier pacers—Takin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam—will miss the series finale match due to fitness issues. Therefore, one change is confirmed for the next match. Bangladesh's playing XI may include one more spinner. On the other hand, South Africa’s playing XI may remain unchanged for the second Test as they want to keep the winning combination intact. The second match of the SA vs BAN 2022 series will be played at St George's Park in Port Elizabeth, with a scheduled start time of 2 p.m. (Bangladesh Standard Time).   Bangladesh Bangladesh’s biggest challenge in the contest would be to bat well in the second innings. Bangladesh had a decent chance in the first Test when they came out to bat to chase 274 runs in the final session on day four. But Bangladesh’s batters were clueless against the South Africans' jubilant spinners. In particular, the senior batters didn’t perform well with the bat, which put huge pressure on the middle orders. The Bangladesh team will be hoping for a strong showing in the batting department in the second match. Read: SA vs BAN Test Series 2022: Team-Wise Statistics of St. George's Park Ground Bangladesh team management made a mistake by not picking an additional spinner in the playing XI in the first match. Therefore, the selection of left-arm spinner Taijul Islam in the second match is a genuine possibility.  Probable playing XI Top Order: Tamim Iqbal, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Middle-Orders: Mominul Haque (Captain), Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das (Wicket-Keeper), Yasir Ali, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Lower-Order: Taijul Islam, Ebadot Hossain, Khaled Ahmed South Africa The South African side is missing some of their main Test players in this series. However, their absence had little impact on the contest, as they easily defeated Bangladesh in the opening match and seized a 1-0 lead in the series. The South African team management is hoping that their team will keep up the momentum in the second match and will whitewash the Bangladesh side to clinch the series 2-0.  Probable Playing XI Top Order: Dean Elgar (captain), Sarel Erwee, Keegan Petersen, Middle Orders: Temba Bavuma, Ryan Rickelton, Kyle Verreynne (Wicket-Keeper), Wiaan Mulder, Keshav Maharaj, Lower Order: Simon Harmer, Lizard Williams, Duanne Olivier Read: IPL 2022: Pat Cummins Makes Headlines with Fastest IPL Fifty Weather Forecast and Pitch Report There is a possibility of rain on day one of the match, but the rest of the days are likely to remain sunny and a bit cloudy. However, there will be severe wind in Port Elizabeth and the Bangladesh players, especially the bowlers, need to adapt to the conditions. Bowlers have to be creative on this surface to put pressure on the opposition's batting line-up. Therefore, the toss would be a crucial factor in this contest. Bottom Line After clinching the first match, South Africa's team will start the second match as favourites. The unfamiliar Port Elizabeth atmosphere may cause some trouble for Bangladesh players, while South African players know the conditions very well. The Proteas coaching setup can help Bangladesh take the right decisions during and before the match. Captain Mominul Haque has to be brave enough in his decision-making because he was criticized for some of his bad decisions during the opening match of the series. Bangladesh's chances in the match will be determined largely by how they respond to South Africa's first innings, as well as how much pressure the bowling unit can put on the Proteas batting line-up. Hopefully, the SA vs BAN 2022 Test series will end with a nicely-contested match.  Read Australia beat Pakistan by 3 wickets in one-off Twenty20

South Africa defeated Bangladesh by 220 runs on Monday, (April 4), at Kingsmead in Durban in the opening Test match of the SA vs BAN Test Series 2022. Therefore, the second Test match at St. George's Park in Port Elizabeth is a must-win game for Bangladesh. The Bangladesh team has to win the second match in order to save the series. As a result, it's crucial to get an idea of the teams’ record at this venue. Let's look at some noteworthy statistics at St. George's Park. Teams' Stats in Test Matches at St. George's Park in Port Elizabeth The second Test match between South Africa and Bangladesh will be played at St. George's Park, one of the oldest cricket grounds in the world.  The first match was held at this ground between South Africa and England in 1989. The visitors, England defeated the hosts, South Africa by eight wickets in the match. Since then, a total of 31 matches have been played at this venue, with 26 matches finishing in a win and the remaining 5 matches ending in a draw. Read Australia beat Pakistan by 3 wickets in one-off Twenty20 Understandably, South Africa have participated in all of the matches. Despite the fact that the home team's record at this ground is not very impressive. The Proteas national men's Test team has won 13 games, lost 13, and drawn 5 matches at St. George's Park in Port Elizabeth. Bangladesh haven't played a Test match at this venue. Team-wise Test Record at the St. George’s Park Ground in Port Elizabeth Team Match Won Lost Draw South Africa 31 13 13 5 England 10 6 1 3 Australia 7 3 4 0 New Zealand 4 1 3 0 West Indies 3 1 1 1 India 2 0 1 1 Pakistan 2 1 1 0 Sri Lanka 2 1 1 0 Zimbabwe 1 0 1 0    Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/ Read Ashraful’s List A career-best carries Brothers past Rupganj After looking at the team's performance at St. George's Park, it's evident that England have a strong track record here. The English Test team has won six of their ten games and has only lost one. The English team won by an innings and 53 runs in the most recent match between these two teams at this venue, which took place in the year 2020. Among the Asian teams, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have won a match each against South Africa on this ground. Pakistan defeated South Africa by five wickets in 2007, while Sri Lanka defeated the hosts by eight wickets in 2019. South Africa haven't been a dominant side at this venue in recent years. Therefore, the Bangladesh side has a chance against this second-string South African team if they properly lay out a game plan. Besides, they will also have to analyze how Asian teams defeated the hosts in the longer-version format. Read SA vs BAN Test Series 2022: Things Bangladesh Must Fix Before Second Match Bottom Line Given the Test statistics for St. George's Park in Port Elizabeth, it is clear that South Africa’s record at this venue is not very impressive. The Proteas men’s side usually struggles to get results in their favour on this ground. As a result, Bangladesh have a good chance of surprising South Africa in the second Test match. Besides, the majority of South African players will be unavailable for this Test series due to their commitments to the Indian Premier League. Bangladesh should be confident heading into the second match of the SA vs BAN Test series 2022.

Bangladesh's batting collapse in the second innings appears to be the main reason for the first Test loss to South Africa. However, there were a few more things that resulted in a disappointing surrender to the hosts. Bangladesh team management needs to work on these issues in order to find a proper solution prior to the second match. The three things Bangladesh must fix before the second match of the SA vs BAN Test series 2022 are discussed in this article.   Three Issues Bangladesh Team Should Address Prior to the Second Test Bangladesh had created a winning possibility in the first Test match against South Africa once they bowled them out for 204 runs in the second innings. The target was 274 for Bangladesh to clinch the match, but collecting those runs on day five was a big challenge. Even then, Mahmudul Hasan Joy’s inspiring knock in the first innings had given everyone hope that Bangladesh might pull off a historic victory. Read Mominul complains of ‘abuse’ by South African players However, it took South African spinners only 19 overs to pick up all of Bangladesh’s wickets for only 53 runs. Bangladesh were defeated by South Africa by 220 runs, giving the hosts a 1-0 lead in the series. Here are the three important issues that Bangladesh need to work on to improve their play in the second match of the SA vs BAN Test series 2022. Game Plan for the Match Multiple sources claim that there was a disagreement among the coach, players, and team management about whether Bangladesh would take fielding or batting if they won the toss. The decision to ask South Africa to bat first didn’t bring the desired result that the Bangladesh team was hoping for initially. They also let the South African tailenders score at least 50 more runs in the first innings. Read: Mominul complains of ‘abuse’ by South African players Besides, selecting an ideal playing XI is also important in order to get the anticipated result from a Test match. South Africa picked two genuine spinners and they were ruthless against Bangladesh. In contrast, Bangladesh picked one spinner in the first match, which was a bad decision. Therefore, Bangladesh’s game plan and strategy need to be effective in order to get the expected result against the hosts in the next game. Bangladesh’s Batting Performance Except for Mahmudul Hasan Joy’s outstanding hundred in the first innings, Bangladesh’s overall batting performance in both innings was hapless. Najmul Hossain Shanto got a start in both innings but couldn’t convert them into big knocks. Read Durban Test: Tigers fold inside an hour on day 5 In the first innings, Litton Das played an effective knock and made a solid partnership with Mahmudul Hasan. There was an expectation from Mominul Haque and Mushfiqur Rahim as they are the main pillars of Bangladesh’s middle order. But both the players failed in the match, which was one of the main reasons Bangladesh couldn’t take a lead over South Africa. Tamim Iqbal is expected to return to Bangladesh's playing XI for the second match, giving the team a huge confidence boost. Tamim needs to play the anchor role, while Mominul and Mushfiqur should find their best form during the contest. Bangladesh's chances of winning the match will improve if these players find their groove with the bat. Read: Ross Taylor plays last innings for New Zealand cricket team Enhancing the ability to chase a target  Scoring 274 runs in the fourth innings on day five was not an impossible task given the nature of the wicket at Kingsmead in Durban. What Bangladesh's team required was a perfect game plan. They were completely clueless against the two Proteas spinners, Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer. The Bangladesh team needs to believe within themselves that this South African bowling lineup is not their best. Therefore, they can chase down any decent target on day five if they play sensibly. So, the Bangladesh team should be prepared to chase in the second Test in Port Elizabeth. Read Australia Clinch ICC Women's World Cup 2022: Alyssa Healy Sets New Record Bottom Line When South Africa were bowled out in their second innings before the end of day four, Bangladesh had a genuine chance in the match to upset the hosts. But due to a lack of proper planning, lack of application in batting, and, above all, the team's lack of confidence, Bangladesh were reduced to a miserable condition in their second innings. Bangladesh players need to believe that they have the capacity to change the scenario of a match and can chase a decent total on day five. Mahmudul Hasan Joy’s memorable 137 runs in the first innings could serve as an inspirational knock to instill confidence among the batters of Bangladesh. Read South Africa win 1st test as Bangladesh all out for 53 Besides, Bangladesh’s pace unit and off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz were economical and got success against this Proteas side. They should be confident of performing even better heading into the second match at St George's Park, Port Elizabeth, which will start on April 7 (Thursday). As veteran Tamim Iqbal is all set to return to the playing XI, Bangladesh should aim to win the second match of the SA vs BAN Test series 2022.

The first Test between Bangladesh and South Africa began on Thursday (March 31, 2022) at Kingsmead in Durban. When Tamim Iqbal was dropped from the playing XI for the first Test due to stomach pain, there was a fear that Bangladesh’s batting order would collapse against a well-versed South African bowling attack in the conditions. The concern was justified as most of Bangladesh's batters failed completely in the first innings, except for Mahmudul Hasan Joy. He was there at the crease till the end, playing the anchor role for the team. How Bangladesh players can take inspiration from Joy’s knock to save the first Test of the SA vs BAN series 2022 is discussed in this article. Mahmudul Hasan Joy's Maiden Test Hundred Highlights 21-year-old Mahmudul Hasan Joy made his Test debut last December against Pakistan. He made 0 and 6 in his first Test match but caught the eye of many after playing a determined 78-run knock against New Zealand in the first Test of 2-match series earlier this January. He stunned everyone by staying five hours at the crease and making 78 runs in 228 balls. His knock laid the foundation of Bangladesh’s first innings and eventually took a commanding lead over New Zealand. Bangladesh went on to win the contest by 8 wickets, and that was arguably the best ever Test win in Bangladesh's history. Read Pakistan easily beat Australia and clinch ODI series 2-1 Mahmudul Hasan’s 78-run knock can easily take a spot among the greatest Test innings by Bangladesh players. However, within three months, Joy produced his first Test hundred, which can be regarded as even better than the innings he played against New Zealand earlier this January. Mahmudul Hasan Joy opened the innings along with Shadman Islam in the first innings in the ongoing first match of the two-match Test series against South Africa. He stayed at the crease till the end and was the last man to get dismissed. Mahmudul Hasan Joy played the anchor role for the team and constructed some crucial partnerships in the middle. He found himself in both good and difficult situations while building his innings, but he didn’t lose his concentration. Mahmudul Hasan’s determination was on another level, which can’t be compared to other Bangladesh batters. Read Bangladesh 298 all out, South Africa lead by 75 in 1st Test Mahmudul Hasan made 137 runs in 326 balls after spending more than seven hours at the crease. Overall, he hit fifteen boundaries and two sixes in the innings. Mahmudul Hasan formed two vital partnerships: one with Najmul Hossain Shanto for 55 runs for the second wicket, and the other with Litton Das for 82 runs for the sixth wicket.  The level of maturity and responsibility he showed in his innings was really admirable. It was an unbelievable effort by a 21-year-old batter. The rest of Bangladesh's players, especially the batters, should take inspiration from his attitude and focus to thrive in the middle. With 137 runs, Mahmudul Hasan Joy also became the highest scorer among the Asian openers in South Africa. This was a really special achievement by Mahmudul Hasan. Read Magnificent Mahmudul hits ton against South Africa The Top Five Test Knocks in South Africa by Asian Openers Player Runs Mahmudul Hasan Joy (BAN) 137 Taufeeq Umar (PAK) 135 KL Rahul (IND) 123 Saeed Anwar (PAK) 118 Wasim Jaffer (IND) 116    Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/ Read Bangladesh lose quick wickets to end Day 2 in Durban First Test Match Scenario of SA vs BAN Series 2022 Batting first, South Africa scored 367 in their first innings. Tamba Bavuma scored the most runs for the Proteas, while pacer Khaled Ahmed took the most wickets for Bangladesh. In reply, Bangladesh were bowled out for 298 in their first innings, 69 runs behind South Africa’s first innings (367) total. South Africa started their second innings in the final hour of day-3, and they would try to construct a lead in excess of 300 before giving Bangladesh a target to chase. The Bangladesh team has to play with a lot of determination in the fourth innings in order to earn a positive result. Therefore, the last two days of the match would be very interesting to watch. Read Pakistan level ODI series with 6-wicket win over Australia Bottom Line Mahmudul Hasan Joy showed real promise in the first innings. Joy's knock displays that anyone can play long innings on this surface if they can give themselves some time to adapt to the pitch conditions. Joy’s determination was on a different level, and the rest of the Bangladesh players needed to learn how to stay long at the crease in order to play long innings. The first Test match of the SA vs BAN series 2022 is evenly matched. Both Bangladesh and South Africa have the potential to win the opening match if they play with confidence for the remaining two days and execute their respective game plans properly. Read Tigers to host Lankan Lions in May for two Tests

After winning a memorable ODI series, Bangladesh team is vying for a historic feat in the bilateral Test series against South Africa. Team Tigers have never won a Test match against the Proteas side and have lost six times on South African soil. However, the Tigers have a realistic chance to upset the Proteas Test team this time around because some of their regular players will miss the longer-version format series owing to their involvement in the IPL 2022. The first match preview of the SA vs BAN series 2022 is discussed in this article. First Match Preview of the South Africa-Bangladesh Test Series 2022 All of Bangladesh's expected players are available for the SA vs BAN series 2022, with the exception of Shakib Al Hasan. Therefore, Captain Mominul Haque should have great faith in his squad going into the game. On the other hand, South African selectors chose some fresh faces for the Test team, as a handful of regular members are now busy playing in the Indian Premier League. Proteas Captain Dean Elgar will have to rely on some of his young talent. The first match of the series will be played in Kingsmead in Durban, with a scheduled start time of 2 p.m. (Bangladesh Standard Time).  Bangladesh Bangladesh's main challenge would be to post a large total in the first innings and then play with tenacity in the second. Two veterans, Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim will be crucial in this regard. While Tamim will be in charge of getting Bangladesh off to a good start, Mushfiqur will be in charge of getting the total to a respectable position. In addition, Najmul Hossain and Litton Das will have to exhibit their progress as Test batters. Read ICC ODI Rankings 2022: Bangladesh Surpass Pakistan to Grab the Sixth Position Taskin Ahmed will face high expectations in the bowling department after his performance in the ODI series. He, along with Shoriful Islam, can wreak havoc on the Proteas batting lineup. Off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz must step up in the absence of Shakib Al Hasan. Probable playing XI Top Order: Tamim Iqbal, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Najmul Hossain Shanto; Middle-Orders: Mominul Haque (Captain), Mushfiqur Rahim (Wicket-Keeper), Litton Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz; Lower-Order: Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Ebadot Hossain. Read Top Performers of Bangladesh in the ICC Women's World Cup 2022 South Africa The South African team will be without some key players during this Test series. Dupavillon, Duanne Olivier, and Lutho Sipamla will be in charge of the Proteas pace attack in the absence of Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, and Marco Jansen. They have a lot of first-class cricket experience, so it will be intriguing to see how these pacers do against Bangladesh's batting lineup. However, experienced spinner Keshav Maharaj may be a game-changer for South Africa. Dean Elgar and Temba Bavuma will be vital in the batting order as the Proteas will need them to stand up for special innings.  Probable Playing XI Top Order: Dean Elgar (Captain), Sarel Erwee, Keegan Petersen; Middle Orders: Temba Bavuma, Kyle Verreynne (Wicket-Keeper), Wiaan Mulder, Keshav Maharaj; Lower Order: Simon Harmer, Daryn Dupavillon, Duanne Olivier, Lutho Sipamla. Read SA vs BAN Test Series 2022: Five Bangladeshi players with High Potency Weather Forecast and Pitch Report Rain is expected on days 2 through 4 of the match, according to the next seven days forecast for Durban. This might be a rain-affected match from this aspect. The opening match may finish in a draw if it rains heavily during the game. The Kingsmead track is known for its pace, but South Africa might prepare a spin-friendly wicket for the first match of the series. Bottom Line Since both sides are equally capable of winning the series, the SA vs BAN Series 2022 has no favourite. The main challenge for Bangladesh in the first match in Durban would be to adjust to the conditions and give it their best during the contest. If Bangladesh's game plan against the Proteas is properly executed, they will be able to take control of the match from the start, which will be vital in the match's final outcome. Oppositely, the South African team will be hoping for some inspirational performances from its young players, but the veteran players will have to shoulder the most of the burden. Overall, this will be the first time that South Africa will begin a Test series against Bangladesh under pressure. Read ICC Women's World Cup 2022: Meet the Semi-Finalists