Dale Benkenstein, Bangladesh’s newly appointed batting consultant, said on Friday (November 13) that adaptation will be key as they prepare for the upcoming two-match Test series against South Africa, scheduled to begin at the Wanderers on November 15.
Adaptation has turned out to be a topic of discussion in South Africa, considering the fact that the touring party needs to adjust to the conditions, as they have spent most of their careers playing in conditions close to sea level, while they will be playing in Johannesburg, which sits at approximately 1,750 metres above sea level.
“I think the real test will be how we adapt to these conditions and how quickly we adapt,” said Benkenstein.
“The main thing in the first two days is to really get into the Test match, as we don’t want to start after lunchtime and we want to be there from ball one and make sure that we are really sharp because with two Tests, you can’t waste a whole session trying to work things out. So adapting very quickly, I would say, is the most important thing,” he said.
“I think obviously it’s a very quick turnaround for them, but the good thing is that they’re coming straight out of Test cricket,” he added, pointing to the recently concluded series against West Indies at home.
Benkenstein said that his charges are not discussing the recently concluded disappointing series against West Indies but are instead taking inspiration from their historic tour of Australia.
Bangladesh, who are currently considered a force to reckon with in Test cricket due to their recent success in the longer format, will surely be tested by the South Africans, who are at the top of the Test rankings after a 2-1 series win over Australia.
The tourists will be eager to leave behind their disappointing performance against West Indies, which virtually diminished their hopes of reaching the top two at the end of their WTC cycle. However, mathematically there’s still a chance to reach the final if they win their remaining four WTC matches – the upcoming series against South Africa and the England Tests at home.
“I agree (they can be mentally down following the West Indies series), but obviously I wasn’t there for the West Indies tour. But I think they are talking a lot about Australia, and I think there’s a lot of confidence coming in from that,” said Benkenstein.
“So far, it has been a great experience and a fantastic group to work with. They’ve welcomed me, and I’m really looking forward to the challenges that lie ahead,” he said.
“We all know that playing against the number one team in the world is not going to be easy, but I think they’re up for the challenge, and I look forward to it,” he said.
“I think obviously, batting-wise, it’s just about being able to adapt to the different bounce. I think the skill set that South Africa have means they’re going to come with pace and bounce, but as I said, they will have a lot of confidence having faced Starc, Hazlewood over the last couple of months, and the West Indians have some fast bowlers as well,” he said.
“You have to believe that you can adapt and that you can compete with South Africa, and I really do believe that quietly underneath there is that belief and there’s definitely the skill,” he added.
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