Concerns over wicket quality have once again taken centre stage in Bangladesh cricket, with Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Aminul Islam Bulbul personally inspecting practice pitches at the Academy Ground and near the indoor facility – a move that underscores the depth of the problem.
The scrutiny follows sharp criticism of the surfaces used in the recent series against Pakistan, as well as long-standing dissatisfaction among players regarding practice conditions. With players becoming more vocal, Aminul’s visit raised eyebrows, especially given the presence of a dedicated Grounds Committee. However, his involvement signals the extent to which the department has fallen short.
“I talked to the players after the last match we played [against Pakistan] and felt their needs regarding good practice wickets,” Aminul told The Daily Star. “Since I understand wickets quite a bit, that’s why I wanted to see for myself.”
He noted that although players had offered subtle complaints, his direct observation revealed a lack of planning and direction in pitch preparation – a concern made more urgent with major events like the Asia Cup and World Cup on the horizon.
“If our boys can play in similar wickets, they will perform there,” he added, referencing conditions in venues like Dubai.
For years, players have struggled with poor practice surfaces, particularly the greenhouse wickets intended for use during the monsoon. According to Aminul, just two of the 14 such wickets are usable, pointing to systemic planning failures.
“Most of the wickets are underprepared. I am not a groundsman, but my main reason for going there was to see whether we were preparing the wickets to reflect conditions such as Dubai or Sharjah,” he said. “I found that wickets exist, but no plan is there. I have been seeing it for years and years – but what action has taken place?”
The former national captain, who previously worked with the ICC, emphasised the need to include wicket conditions in broader performance evaluations.
“I really feel bad about this – that I demand so much from a player and even chastise them for playing badly. But do we think about what wickets we serve them?
“I’ve started asking for reports from the grounds department so that we can at least quickly prepare wickets like Sharjah and Dubai’s. You have to give the players that confidence.”
He dismissed the excuse of weather, pointing out that countries like Sri Lanka, despite receiving more rain than Bangladesh, manage to produce better surfaces.
Centre wickets were also under review, with Mirpur’s head curator, Gamini de Silva, facing questions about pitch preparation methods, soil, and grass techniques.
“I asked when he [Gamini] used new soil and whether he plants the grass or uses seeds. He said he plants them. I asked him how deep the roots go since sometimes when you plant, the root doesn’t go deep. But when you use seeds, it will. Since we have regular matches in the centre wicket, it’s better to plant rather than use seeds. But in the academy, you must use seed,” Aminul explained.
Addressing speculation that Gamini could be reassigned, Aminul clarified, “There is no truth to that,” though the board is exploring options.
“His contract ended so maybe something like a sudden death phase may come up,” he added.
With the BCB president now personally involved, it remains to be seen whether overdue reforms in pitch preparation will finally take root.