Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha believes the players stayed alert to not let complacency to occupy them as the job to win the historical Test series victory is yet to be done.
With 1-0 up following the 150-run victory in the first game, the Tigers will face off New Zealand in the second Test, starting tomorrow (Wednesday) to make it 2-0 and seal the series.
"I can't see complacency in the team. If I see any action of complacency, I will have one to one chat. We had a good chat inside the dressing room yesterday. Strong and experienced leaders like Mushfiqur Rahim and Mominul spoke very emotionally. They spoke in Bengali. I can see there's no tall poppies in the dressing room," Hathurusingha said here today.
The team had done the job winning a rare Test victory against New Zealand without their biggest match winner Shakib Al Hasan and some of the key players like Tamim Iqbal, Liton Das, Ebadot Hossain and Taskin Ahmed.
Hathurusingha said the players were energetic in the ground and was desperate to show they belong the place. He urged the players to keep the same intensity when they take on New Zealand in the second Test for a landmark series victory.
"The message is the same. It is about going forward with what we have, understanding our strength, trying to compete in every session. It is a young in sense of experience but they are really good in terms of skills. When they are given the freedom to play, the way they normally play in the NCL, they play well," Hathurusingha said.
"This is a good advertisement for our domestic cricket. Seven players from that XI played domestic cricket. You can see their energy on the field till the fifth day. It is not about the outcome. It can vary in cricket. They were still there when the opposition had long partnerships. Those are little signs that I look at. The young team gave their all. The message is to do the same thing."
Having won the first Test, Bangladesh began the third cycle of the World Test Championship with a bang unlike the previous two cycles. Hathurusingha now not only is eying a series victory against New Zealand, but also winning all matches at home.
"Realistic goal (in this WTC cycle) would be try to win all the matches at home. I think We can do that. I said that at the start of this series that we aim to play well at home. Then try to compete outside," he said.
"We have good fast bowlers who will help us compete in a different condition. Our young players are capable of playing in any conditions. We need to prepare. The board has done good things like using Duke balls, and playing on grassy pitches. It has helped developed fast bowlers, and batters who can play fast bowling."
