A Decade Of Mahmudullah
Mahmudullah Riyad completed ten years in the national side yesterday. The right-hander spoke to the press on the occasion and admitted that although he had a few ups and downs since that fateful day in 2007, he was glad to be a part of the Tigers' meteoric rise. The excerpts are below:
Question: How does it feel to be part of the national team for 10 years?
Mahmudullah Riyad: I feel good because I have crossed 10 years with the Bangladesh jersey on. And I hope to keep performing and keep the jersey on for a few more years.
Q: You've spent a long time here so how much of that was influenced by the other others who have played ten years?
MR: Mashrafe, Shakib, Tamim and Mushfiqur have done it before me. But personally I think it's a very positive thing for my career. I also feel that I have more responsibility because of the way we are moving forward now. So I have to complete my responsibilities as long as I play. The team we have now is a combination of experienced and young players so hopefully they will serve the Bangladesh team for a long time.
Q: How different is your game fitness-wise and skill-wise? When you came into the side your role wasn't really clear, now it is more defined.
MR: I think I am mentally a lot more disciplined than before. I am more positive about my game and more aggressive than before and those things lead back to the mentality. I think that is what is helping me a lot more and I think my fitness levels are much better than before and holding onto that is very important.
Q: You have already played 10 years and you will play a few more years so do you have any unfulfilled desires?
MR: There a few things because I have had lots of ups and downs in my career. I just hope that we can continue playing the way we have been for the next few years. When I started we were 10th in rankings and since then we have reached number six. So I hope we can be in the top three or four. We have to prepare ourselves mentally for that and taking the team there is my personal goal.
Q: In the World Cup platform you are proven cricketer. When you look back at your career how important would a World Cup be?
MR: This is a matter of time, but I already said that the 2019 World Cup is a big opportunity. Personally, I think that we are capable of achieving something brilliant with the way we have been playing cricket, but continuing that will be important.
Q: You have said that you want to play for the national team for a few more years. What is your personal target before ending your career?
MR: To be honest, I don't like to set goals. I take things step by step.
Q: After a player has completed 10 years in a team he is considered a stable cricketer. But there was a time in 2015 when there was a lot of discussion about you. And there were talks about you often when you were beginning. But after 10 years how would you evaluate yourself?
MR: It is a challenge everyday because that's what international cricket is. You will never be stable. Teams will work out your weaknesses. I said before that I am mentally more disciplined so I can understand what aspects to work on or what my strengths are. Personally I think that there is no alternative to hard work.
Q: Out of the top five in the team, those who have been there for years, is your life the most difficult?
MR: I can't judge that but although there have been many ups and downs I still have the Bangladesh jersey on and I'm playing. I wish to keep applying all the things I have learned to serve Bangladesh cricket.