Exclusive: Current Bangladesh team can beat any side, says Sunil Joshi

For a country as zealous about cricket as India (if not more), Bangladesh's cricketing stocks took some time to rise, but the curve is upwards, nonetheless. From collecting sporadic sparse wins, to being consistent giant-slayers with the ability to match up to the best, Bangladesh have catapulted quite far.

Along with being blessed with an influx of talented youngsters, the side has benefited tremendously from the support team, one of whom is from the other side of the border.

Sunil Joshi, a fixture in the Indian team of the 90s, has been the spin coach of the Bangladesh side over the last two years. Under his tutelage, a number of spinners have emerged out of the shadows of Shakib Al Hasan, and continue to bring variety and vigour to the side's slow bowling department.

At the Prestige Golfshire Cub, teeing off in the Mercedes Trophy with his former teammate Venkatesh Prasad, Joshi spoke exclusively to Sportskeeda about his role in Bangladesh and how the team has changed in the last couple of years.

How do you see the evolution of spin bowling during your time with Bangladesh cricket?

In the last two years, Bangladesh spinners have done really well. In fact, we've beaten the teams that have come to Bangladesh, be it Australia, England, South Africa, Pakistan or India. In the last 18 months to two years, under the guidance of Shakib, we have seen the emergence of a lot of spinners.

(Mehidy Hasan) Miraz's off spinner is genius, Taijul Islam is a genius himself, and we have seen another 17-year-old (Nayeem Hasan) make his debut against the West Indies. He's fantastic. He's 6'2'', and someone that tall being an off-spinner is a great asset to the team.

There's heavy competition for left-arm spinners in the country, and we see quite a lot of them...

It is a great competition for them. There's Taijul, who we have tried in red-ball cricket and Nazmul Islam, who only plays white ball cricket. It is a great combination of spinners, competing within themselves, and it is a healthy combination, which is a great sign.

We have lost three finals, I would say, on the last ball, be it the Asia Cup, Nidahas Trophy or the World T20. That shows that we are doing really well.

One more strength that has come out well is the mindset of the spinners - how they can really bowl to a top order batsman, or a tail-ender. That has been inculcated in them during my association over the last two years.

I am pretty satisfied, and happy to see that the knowledge that whatever I am sharing, they are trying to gauge and are coming out successfully, which is a great thing.

The Bangladesh side is always identified as a youthful and exuberant one. What is the impact of the senior players in such a scenario, on the newer talent?

They are the role models for the youngsters who are coming in - you have Shakib, Mushfiqur (Rahim), Tamim (Iqbal) and Mahmudullah (Riyadh). And then there's Mashrafe (Mortaza) - Look at the amount of ODIs he is playing and still leading from the front. These five make Bangladesh really competitive.

This team can beat, on a given day, any side.

'A lot of spinners have emerged under the guidance of Shakib Al Hasan'

The T20 era is seen the re-emergence of wrist spinners, and there suddenly sought-after by teams. Do you feel the importance portrayed for them is justified?

The shorter format is always a challenging one, be it a wrist spinner or a finger spinner, to even bowl a dot ball especially in T20 cricket. As you go to the 50-over format, you can drift and have more finger spinners.

The need of the hour is every team is looking for a wrist spinner, who can also be a mystery spinner as well. That's the reason why most teams in limited-overs, specifically in T20s, are looking for a mystery spinners, because those 4-8 overs become very crucial.

Do you think finger spinners can hold their own in this time and day? Do you believe it is getting more and more difficult for them to survive?

No, I don't think it is getting difficult for them. A finger spinner who is very good skillfully, very strong, and has been consistent and performing, can win any game, just the same as a wrist spinners.

For wrist spinners, it is actually tough sometimes. You really need to get your line and length right. Especially in the T20 format, you go for 20 overs, and you're done. Finger spinners still have a chance of coming back.

Which particular spinners do you see being crucial to their team's fortunes and successful in the World Cup?

I would bet on the Asian teams, their spinners will really do well in the World Cup. They are saying that the World Cup is in England, and that spinners don't have a chance.

Personally, you got to have spinners. It depends on which team you are going to play, as a combination of spinners against the opposition.