My bowling is more balanced now: Rabbi
With Bangladesh engaged in a glut of limited-overs matches since May, players who have featured solely in the longer version have by now receded to the background. But Tests will be in focus when and if the Australians arrive for a two-match series in late August, and even if Australia's contracts dispute prevent the team from coming, the full tour of South Africa to follow in September-October will call upon the breadth of Bangladesh's playing personnel, all of whom are currently engaged in a 29-member preliminary fitness camp going on in Mirpur.
Pacer Kamrul Islam Rabbi is one of those Test specialists currently out of the limelight, but he can be expected to feature prominently when the South Africa Tests roll around. Dating back to the Tests against England last October, Rabbi has played five games and was particularly impressive in the Tests in New Zealand in January this year. With the camp still in its fitness training stages, legendary former West Indies paceman and Bangladesh fast-bowling coach Courtney Walsh was on hand to help the pacers, and Rabbi seems already to have benefitted.
“He is now conducting spot-bowling exercises,” Rabbi told reporters at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday. “We haven't started bowling in full rhythm after the conditioning camp. But he [Walsh] is such a big player that just his words help us improve, both technically and mentally. We have a friendly relationship with him, which is why it is easier to work with him.
“For senior players, increasing self-confidence is not that important, but for juniors like myself the belief given by the coach plays a big role when it comes to performing. We have all been playing cricket for many years so everyone knows what they have to do; the biggest role the coach can play is to give the players confidence.”
Rabbi, an out-swing specialist, said that there has already been improvements to his bowling. “My bowling is now much more balanced as, technically speaking, I can now bowl the inswinger, which I could not before. I want to hone the things I already know now, that is my aim,” Rabbi added.
With Test matches on the horizon, the spot-bowling exercises are invaluable as they inculcate the ability to keep bowling at a good spot, and Rabbi appreciated that. “It is important to improve the skill to keep bowling at one spot, and that is what I am trying to do,” he said, adding that he wanted to improve his reverse swinging skills, particularly the angle from which the ball should start reversing.
Rabbi did not get a match in the Tigers' most recent two Tests in Sri Lanka, but he was confident of making his way back into the Test team. “I always believe in the strength of my own performances. If I can perform well the selectors will look my way. It is very natural that those who play well will be chosen for the national team.”
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