Working hard to become a regular in all three formats: Fizz
Bangladesh's ace left-arm paceman Mustafizur Rahman said that he is working hard to make himself a regular starter in all three formats for Tigers.
Mustafizur had a fairy-tale beginning to his career as he made an immediate impact upon arriving on the international scene with ODI series-winning performances in 2015 against India and South Africa. But in the last few years, there has been noticeable decline in his sharpness, especially in the longest format.
He was not among the three Bangladesh pacers picked for the second Test against India in Kolkata on November 22 last year. The left-armer was also dropped from tigers' lone Test against Zimbabwe in February this year before the coronavirus pandemic. The Bangladesh head coach Russell Domingo had then mentioned that the 25-year-old was 'not ready to play Tests' until he worked on his technical ability that would allow him to bring the ball back into the right-handers. The pacer was however kept in the squad so that pace bowling coach Ottis Gibson could work with him closely and help him learn the craft that he had been lacking.
The pacer was also rumoured to have a lack of eagerness in playing the longer format. But Mustafizur now mentioned that he has been working hard to once again make himself a regular in all three formats for the Tigers.
"I want to play in all three formats. I am now trying to do all those works that would help me play in all three formats. Starting from working on my fitness, bowling skill -- I am trying to do all these so that I can be a regular in every format," said Mustafizur.
Mustafizur mentioned that he had been working on some techniques that Gibson showed him before the coronavirus enforced break.
"Before the coronavirus pandemic, Gibson showed me a few techniques to grip the ball in order to get the ball back in. So I have been working on that and it is going pretty good. I would need to work more but if I work hard then I think I will be able to swing the ball back in," explained Mustafizur.
Gibson however mentioned during an interview with The Daily Star earlier this month that Mustafizur has shown potential to bring the ball back into the right-handers during their ODI against Zimbabwe in Sylhet earlier in March. And hence, the left-armer was being considered for their upcoming three-Test tour of Sri Lanka later this month, which is now in doubt as the BCB had refused to tour Sri Lanka under what BCB President Nazmul Hassan termed "historically unique" protocols set by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).
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