What’s a batter’s most effective weapon against spinners on turning pitches of the subcontinent? To score runs, batters often rely on the sweep and reverse sweep. Playing on the front or back foot can carry the risk of missing the line of the ball and getting out either LBW or bowled.
In the Galle Test between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, which ended in a draw, Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto adapted brilliantly to the turn and occasional bounce from Sri Lanka’s spinners—Prabath Jayasuriya and the crafty Tharindu Ratnayake. He became the first Bangladeshi captain to score centuries in both innings of a Test match. Particularly in the second innings, when the Galle pitch started turning significantly, Shanto turned to the sweep and reverse sweep to keep the scoreboard ticking.
In the first innings—across the first three days—the Galle pitch offered little assistance to the spinners. That allowed Shanto to score freely and comfortably. But even then, he handled spin with great skill. Prior to the tour of Sri Lanka, Shanto had specifically trained to face spin, dedicating a large part of his practice to mastering the sweep and reverse sweep. Notably, he brought up his second-innings century with a reverse sweep.
On a spin-friendly surface like Galle, sweep and reverse sweep shots can be a batter’s best defense mechanism—as well as a scoring option.
Across both innings, where Shanto scored 148 and 125 runs respectively, 60% of his runs came through the off-side—particularly in the cover, point, and mid-off regions. Most of his singles and doubles also came through these zones. On the leg side, from the midwicket and square leg regions, he collected around 30% of his runs—mainly through sweep and lap sweep shots, especially against the left-arm spinner Jayasuriya. The remaining 10% of his runs came from reverse sweeps.
In Test cricket, bowlers usually succeed by sticking to a consistent line and length. That’s where Shanto excelled—by constantly mixing sweep and reverse sweep with traditional shots through point using the full face of the bat, he forced the bowlers to change their lengths and lines. His footwork in the second innings was particularly impressive. He used the front foot to step out and counter flighted deliveries that landed on a good length, while he went back to deal with balls that pitched outside off and turned in sharply.
Tactically, Shanto gave spin extra attention. He chose to score against spin through covers, midwicket, and fine leg. His shot selection was varied, and he relied on his soft-handed batting technique, which allowed him to control placement and minimize risk. This constant pressure forced the Sri Lankan fielders to adjust repeatedly. As Shanto regularly hit boundaries with sweep and reverse sweep, the fielders at short fine leg and short third man had to be moved to the deep.
For Shanto and the rest of Bangladesh’s batters, another spin challenge awaits in the second Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo. Although the pitch there may offer some seam movement early on, as the match progresses, it is the spinners who tend to dominate the contest.