Following a promising Test debut last year, batter Yasir Ali Chowdhury struck his maiden fifty in New Zealand earlier this year and was rewarded with the inclusion in the Tigers ODI side for the upcoming three-match series against Afghanistan. The cricketer from Chattogram, who has been a consistent performer in the domestic circuit and is expecting to make his fifty-over debut, spoke to The Daily Star's Mazhar Uddin about his batting among other aspects during an interview. The excerpts of the interview are below:

The Daily Star (DS): Despite being part of the national team set-up for over two years, you finally made your Test debut against Pakistan last year. Now, after getting into the ODI team for the upcoming Afghanistan series, how confident are you about making your ODI debut, which arrived earlier this time?

Yasir Ali (YA):  To be honest, waiting on the sidelines for over two years to make my international debut was a blessing in disguise. Traveling with the team and taking catches while fielding as a substitute, actually gave me a good idea of the flavour of international cricket and helped me to adjust quickly. I have seen this before and went through tough phases. Tamim Iqbal bhai used to give me advice and later I became mentally strong. So, whether I'm able to make my ODI debut or not, I will continue to improve and perform as a player and look forward to it.

DS: What will your challenges as a batter be when it comes to adapting from Test cricket to fifty-over format?

YA: I feel it's more challenging for a batter to adapt from ODI to T20 format instead. In T20 cricket, you hardly get enough time and have to go for shots right from the start of innings. On the other hand, shifting to the fifty-over format will be important for me being a batsman in the middle-order, where you have to build an innings.So I'm working on that aspect and confident about it if I get a chance in the playing eleven.

DS: You were in good touch during the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) and also displayed a sound technique. Do you believe you can play across all three formats for Bangladesh?

YA: I really back my technique and believe I can represent Bangladesh in all three formats. Cricket is no longer a recreation or entertainment as it became a passion for me. In modern-day cricket, you have to adjust and adapt as a batsman and it's important to know how to shift the tempo of an innings.

DS: The maiden fifty in Christchurch against New Zealand in the second Test must have boosted your confidence.

YA: Definitely! It gave me a lot of confidence. Playing in New Zealand in such conditions, against some top-quality bowlers, was a great experience for me. I was playing just my third Test and it really gave me the confidence so early in my career. I think my experience from Test cricket will help me in the fifty-over format.

DS: Can you recall being concussed after receiving a blow on the head from Shaheen Afridi on your debut Test against Pakistan?

YA: Obviously, it came as a shock as I really wanted to bat. It was disappointing for me but at the same time, I'm also lucky because it could've been nasty too. I was batting well and was looking set with Liton Das at the other end. We really wanted to build up a partnership as it was vital for us. But whatever happens it happens for good.