Bengal players welcome Test status for Bangladesh

Pankaj Roy, Arun Lal and Gopal Bose, three luminaries of Bengal cricket, feel that granting Test status to Bangladesh by the ICC is the right decision. The three are of the opinion that this will only help in giving the game a boost in Bangladesh. In fact all the three, who opened for India at one time or the other, said that they felt that Bangladesh has potential.

"Why not, " asked Bose when asked to comment on the timing of the decision. "It took New Zealand to win their first test 26 years after they were granted official status. Sri Lanka won the World Cup 15 years after being granted Test status. So Bangladesh will definitely achieve some distinction or the other if you give them the same time space that the ICC had given to the other countries."

However, both Bose and Lal said that it would be wrong to expect miracles from them. "They will not be able to defeat any Test playing country immediately. However, at times, they can provide stiff competition," said Lal and Bose. Lal went on to add, "Even though, I have been out of touch with Bangladeshi cricket for sometime now, I feel that there are quite a few talented cricketers in Bangladesh. Cricketers who can blossom into talented players if they have the rtight kind of exposure."

Roy also said that he supported the decision by the ICC. "When cricket is being globalised, the decision is a right one," said Roy. He added, "This will spur them onto greater heights. Unless you play against better opposition, you will never improve. The Test status will help Bangladesh to play against tougher opponents frequently and the standard of the game in that country will improve. So, one cannot really oppose the decision." Bose, who was talking over the phone from his residence may have hit the nail on the head by saying, "Now Asia will be a strong force as it will have four official members in the ICC."