England’s scheduled tour of Bangladesh is generating a lot of noise and none of it has got anything to do with cricket.
Ever since terrorists attacked a Dhaka cafe in July and killed 20 – mainly foreign – hostages, there has been a lot of skepticism in the England camp regarding their October-November tour to the subcontinent that includes three one-day internationals and two Test matches.
Many players, including limited overs captain Eoin Morgan, have said they are yet to make a decision regarding the tour despite the England cricket board giving the go ahead after getting the clearance from their security chief Reg Dickason. Players have been given the time and freedom to make up their mind and many are waiting to make the final call.
But the situation changed on Saturday after all-rounder Moeen Ali made it clear he will definitely travel to Bangladesh if selected.
His announcement has put pressure on other players in the team to take a call sooner rather than later because there are a lot of factors in play here.
Firstly, a tour of Bangladesh is an important one. The Tigers are now a force to be reckoned with in international cricket, having thumped India, Pakistan and South Africa at home in successive ODI series’.
Our tour of Bangladesh will continue as planned:https://t.co/ZpwD0sfp4N pic.twitter.com/bfXWTeD2LR
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) August 25, 2016
Also, it was Bangladesh who defeated England in the 2015 World Cup that saw Morgan’s team knocked out of the tournament.
Therefore, results on this tour will count a lot when it comes to assessing a team or player. Ever since England were knocked out of the World Cup Down Under, they have reinvented their one-day game, scoring four of their top five all-time best ODI scores, including the world record 444-3 against Pakistan, and are now one of the most dynamic limited overs outfits.
The Bangladesh tour is therefore a great opportunity to not only prove that they are indeed an improved side but also gives them a chance to avenge their World Cup defeat. Morgan was the captain in that match in Adelaide and scored a duck. England would surely want to set the record straight.
Also, this England team has a lot of talent.
Some outstanding players like Chris Jordan and Jonny Bairstow are struggling to make it to the first choice playing XI and they have ready replacements for almost all positions. If a player decides not travel to Bangladesh, there is every chance his spot might go to a competitor and it could be a long time before he gets another opportunity to impress.
It is also a critical stage for England limited overs cricket. The 2017 Champions Trophy and 2019 World Cup will be held in England and the hosts will undoubtedly be one of the strong favourites. So the fight for positions has already started.
Players, like Alex Hales, have admitted that his team-mates are risking losing out on their place in the Test team if they say no to Bangladesh and that is very much the situation when it comes to England’s one-day side.
.@MoeenAli on Eng's upcoming Bangladesh tour. "If selected, I'll definitely go." https://t.co/tZARmbn10K #BanvEng pic.twitter.com/iFHdjNj0kt
— Sky Sports Cricket🏏 (@SkyCricket) September 3, 2016
Even former fast bowler Andrew Caddick has warned the England players to think twice before saying no to the tour as it could jeopardise their career, something that he and spinner Robert Croft found out in early 2000s. The two had refused to tour India following the September 11 attacks and soon faded out of the England team.
Admittedly, travelling to a country is a personal decision and no one is going to question any player who decides to stay at home.
But with Ali taking the first step, the pressure has increased on the rest of the team.
The England board is ready to go ahead with the tour, which isn’t a low-profile one. Whatever decision the players make, they must remember that the stakes are very high this time.
