“I haven’t seen this wicket, but I do have someone who you all know is in my coaching staff, who knows these conditions,” Silverwood said ahead of their training session on the eve of the second Test.
“I will speak to my assistant coach so that we fully understand how this wicket will play. We will be using his knowledge from his time in Bangladesh, and the statistics of this ground to make sure the captain has the best possible bowling attack to exploit the conditions.”
Sri Lanka hired Nawaz ahead of this tour, having even briefly considered him as head coach; such has his reputation grown from being a development coach since retiring from his playing days.
“I don’t think this is going to be an easy game at all. Both teams want to win this game,” he said. “I think the last game was a close-fought contest. The momentum swung both ways; rapidly at times. Bangladesh had us on the ropes at times.
“We had to fight back hard to make sure that we got back into the game. I think this will be similar. The game will go forward at a quicker pace. We have to be ready for that. I am looking forward to some exciting cricket.”
“Looking at our spin department, Taijul has been doing well in the last one or two years,” Mominul said. “Shakib bhai bowled well in the last match. If Mosaddek plays, he will have a different role. We have to use him intelligently. But I am confident that with Taijul and Shakib bhai alongside me [as a part-time spinner], we will get over this situation.
“I don’t know if I have ever led with one pacer. I don’t think we will just have one seamer. There might be three seamers. Taskin was bowling well, while Shoriful was contributing to the Test team. It is a huge opportunity for those who will replace them. We can have a look at them as well. As a captain, I want a big group of fast bowlers who have healthy competition among them.”
“I thought Kasun and Asitha were excellent… the way that they continued, the heart and fight that they showed was exceptional”
Sri Lanka head coach Chris Silverwood is pleased with his quicks’ performance in Chattogram
“I thought Kasun and Asitha were excellent. I thought the way that they continued, the heart and fight that they showed – in what was a flat wicket – was exceptional,” Silverwood said. “Kasun bowled well. He got movement on a flat deck. He held his line and length beautifully. He got rewarded too. I was really pleased with how the seamers bowled. I thought we got better in all departments as time went on.
“There is [the possibility of changing the XI from Chattogram]. Looking at the statistics, we will select a squad that gives us all the options whether that’s picking one seamer or whichever way we decide to go. We will make sure there are plenty of options for the captain in that squad for tomorrow morning.”