Is Mahmudul Hasan Joy feeling a little regretful?
Given how Najmul Hossain Shanto and Liton Das batted on the third day of the Sylhet Test against Ireland, playing shots all around the wicket, it is fair to wonder. Shanto reached his eighth century and finished with a strike rate of 87.71. Liton, on the other hand, made 60 off just 66 balls, batting in pure ODI mode.
On the batting-friendly Sylhet surface, Joy had done something similar a day earlier. He walked off unbeaten on a career-best 169*, laced with 14 fours and four sixes. But when he returned to bat the next morning, he lasted only three balls, scoring two singles before edging one behind off Barry McCarthy. It was a good delivery, pitched short of a length outside off, seaming away just enough to catch the edge.
There had already been a buzz the previous evening about whether Joy could reach a double century. The Irish bowling attack had not looked particularly threatening, and conditions were ideal. Yet the opportunity slipped away. The right-hander finished on 171, falling just short of what could have been his first double hundred.
Joy admitted later that he was a bit disappointed. Speaking at the post-day press conference, he said, “Yes, of course I’m a bit disappointed. It would have been my first double hundred in my life if I could have carried on. So I’d say I’m a little disappointed that I couldn’t finish it.”
Still, this century will remain special for him. His first came in South Africa in 2022, and since then, a big innings had eluded him. He drifted in and out of the national side, even losing his spot for the Sri Lanka tour. But recalled for the Ireland series, he seized the opportunity with both hands, scoring his second Test hundred.
Even after missing the double, Joy is content with his performance and relieved to be back among runs after a while.
“Overall, I’m happy,” he said. “After quite some time, I’m back in the team and able to play a long innings. I’m very happy for that. But as I said, if it had been a double hundred, it would’ve felt even better. Just a little disappointed.”
Technically, Joy looked more assured. His off-side range has expanded, his footwork more precise, and his head position steady. Several of his cover drives were a treat to watch. He had also scored a century in a recent National League match, form that he carried into this Test.
There have not been any major technical overhauls, he added. Working with local coaches in the Bangladesh Tigers camp, he focused mainly on his strengths, “I didn’t make any big changes,” Joy explained. “The coaches just told me to play my natural game, the way I’ve been performing before.”
Bangladesh’s Test opening pair has seen frequent changes in recent years. Joy himself was dropped after the Zimbabwe series for lack of runs. This time, he replaced Anamul Haque Bijoy to open with Shadman Islam, and it paid off handsomely.
Batting in an attacking mode, the pair added 168 runs, Bangladesh’s highest opening partnership in the past decade, scoring at over 4.50 runs per over.
