After winning the ODI series against West Indies 3-0 in absence of senior players like Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim, Bangladesh ODI skipper Tamim Iqbal acknowledged that his team isn't fully ready yet on the road to 2023 Men's Cricket World Cup in India next year.
At the same time, Tamim stated that he is starting to get some ideas about how Bangladesh are shaping up for ODI World Cup."Naturally our goal is the 2023 World Cup and there is no doubt in it and we are in that process (of building the team for the tournament) but to be honest I don't want to look too far ahead because you never know what will happen and things like that as to who is injured and who is there in the team and who is not."
"But I can say I am getting a little bit of idea about what kind of combination I will be playing if one or two key players are missing due to injuries. I won't say my team is fully ready and all those things but we are getting some ideas for sure," Tamim was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz after the third ODI.
Tamim, who has now won five ODI series as captain, revealed that he decided against making wholesale changes for the third match despite taking an unassailable lead in the series on the request of the team management.
"When I spoke with the management (about testing the bench strength) they felt we should go with the full strength and we did that. We were supposed to make one change because we knew that we will be playing on the same wicket again and so we decided to play Taijul in place of one pace bowler.
But I had the wish (to see bench strength) as I said earlier but I am convinced with what the management said because I felt when the team is doing well we should finish it off as well.
"Next up for Bangladesh will be a tour of Zimbabwe in July and August to play three ODIs and as many T20Is. Tamim assured me that he would be able to test and see what the bench strength of Bangladesh is in situations where the series has already been sealed.
"I think going forward we must see the bench strength or else how can I understand Taijul or Mossadek have those qualities. We have to see the bench strength and we might not change five players at the same time but if we can do with one or two players, it is better and that is how we should move forward."
"The best teams in ODIs do it that way and when they win the series they change their team. Probably we have to be a bit braver to do it because we have never done it before and we must understand that as there is confusion but I am sure in future you will see people will get lot more chances."