'DPL my only route back'
Former Bangladesh national off-spinner Shohag Gazi has described the upcoming Dhaka Premier League (DPL) as his 'only possible path' to make a comeback to the national team.
The 24-year-old, who will be representing Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club this season, last played an international game in July last year when he was picked for the T20I against South Africa.
However, he has not played a Test or ODI since August 2014.
He hopes that the upcoming DPL can change his fortunes.
“It feels good that the Premier League is starting. I am not in the national team and this is the only path left for me. If I can do well here, maybe I can make a comeback to the national side,” Gazi told reporters at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur today.
The off-spinner, who had shot to fame after becoming the first player in the history of Test cricket to take a hat-trick and score a century in the same Test, admitted that life outside the national team has been difficult.
“It is definitely painful. Playing for the national team is a different feeling altogether. I don't get that feeling now. When I see the national team play on the television, I feel bad. I feel bad when my parents or my siblings talk about it. I obviously can't express my feelings in front of them. I have to keep it inside of me. I miss the fun we used to have in the dressing room after winning a game.
“Hopefully I can eradicate that pain through this league. The competition is so high right now that it's not just enough to return to the national fold but to ensure that you stay in it,” explained Gazi.
Furthermore, Shohag also indicated that his performances in domestic cricket had been overlooked in the last few months.
“Actually, when a new player does a small thing, everybody notices that. That is what happened with me. When I got 42 wickets in the first division, you all put me up there. If you see [Abdur Razzak] Raj bhai was the highest wicket taker in the Bangladesh Cricket League, but no one's talking about him.
“If it was someone new instead of Raj bhai, then everyone would have spoken about him. If I was new today, then people would have spoken about the fact that I had given just 10 runs in three overs in a T20 practice match prior to the World Cup. That's a big deal considering that I bowled in the Powerplays. But then again, I wasn't allowed to complete my quota of overs,” he lamented.
He also talked about how difficult the life of a player outside the national team is in terms of facilities.
“You don't have permission for the indoors or even to run on the field. Sometimes we take special permission from the curator to work out here. Whenever the national team or the women's team practice, you are not allowed to use the bowling machine. The only option is to go to your region and practice. But then if I do that, everyone will think Shohag Gazi has disappeared. So I try to do my best here,” he smiled.
Despite all that, Gazi remains resolute and reckons he can make a comeback.
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