'India getting advantage due to...' - Taskin Ahmed reveals why Bangladesh are struggling in Chennai Test

Bangladesh fast bowler Taskin Ahmed has revealed the reason behind his team's below-par performance in the first Test against India in Chennai. Bangladesh conceded a first-innings lead of 227 runs and then struggled in India's second innings as well.

The Test match started positively for the visitors as they picked up three wickets in the first ten overs to rattle India's top order in the first innings. However, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Yashasvi Jaiswal took India to a respectable score in the first innings.

While Bangladesh's bowlers have mostly struggled throughout the match, Indian bowlers were impeccable during the first innings. Led by Jasprit Bumrah, India bowled out Bangladesh for just 149. India's batters then piled up 287-4 in the second innings to set the visitors a target of 515 runs.

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Taskin Ahmed reveals why Bangladesh is struggling in the Chennai Test

Taskin Ahmed claimed that Bangladesh are struggling in the Chennai Test due to their inexperience in playing with SG balls. He revealed that India is getting more advantage due to their familiarity with SG balls which makes the conditions even more challenging for the visitors.

“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 2.

In India, SG balls are used for Test cricket. Meanwhile, in countries like Bangladesh, Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe, Kookaburra balls are used.

Before this series, Bangladesh wicketkeeper Litton Das had also claimed the same reason behind Bangladesh's constant struggles in the match.

"We could have batted well" - Taskin Ahmed

Taskin also rued the below-par batting performance by the visitors and reckoned that Bangladesh would not have lost so many wickets if the top order had played the new ball well.

“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.

The 29-year-old quick accepted that India is a strong team, especially in home conditions. He added that the visitors did not bowl well in the last session on Day 1 and let the game slip.

“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,” he explained.

While Bangladesh has been catching up with India for the most part of the match, Taskin Ahmed has had a good game on an individual part. The Dhaka-born fast bowler finished with 3-55 in the first innings, which also included the big wickets of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.

In the second innings, he picked up the wicket of Rohit Sharma and finished with 1-22 in 7 overs. Taskin Ahmed is the senior fast bowler for Bangladesh in the squad. However, he has played just 14 Tests so far despite making his Test debut way back in 2017.