All but Shakib start training

All the cricketers of the Bangladesh squad announced for their five-match twenty20 international series against New Zealand officially started training from Friday, except Shakib Al Hasan.

Shakib returned from USA on August 24 midnight, and he is yet to complete his three-day in-room isolation as per the Covid-19 protocol, and that did not allow him to take part in the opening day’s training session.

The Tigers were slotted to train in the morning session, and they hit the ground a bit earlier than scheduled, showing their eagerness to get back in action.

All the coaching staff, including head coach Russell Domingo, pace bowling coach Ottis Gibson, spin bowling coach Rangana Herath and newly appointed batting consultant Ashwell Prince, were present and busy monitoring the moves of the cricketers.

Mushfiqur Rahim and Liton Kumar Das, who missed out on the Australia series due to family emergencies, started their individual training earlier but from Friday, they started training with the national side again since the Zimbabwe series. So was Aminul Islam Biplob, who had come home early from the Zimbabwe tour due to his father’s death.

Apart from the 18 squad members, Kamrul Islam Rabbi and Shahidul Islam were also present at the training session, serving as net bowlers to put the batsmen under more challenging situations.

The cricketers hit the outdoor nets after some stretching at the main ground of the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, where the batsmen and bowlers tested each other.

Afif Hossain, who showcased praiseworthy performances against Australia, was showing some good reflexes against the quick bowlers in the nets, whilst Mushfiq was a little uncomfortable on his first day back.

Nurul Hasan Sohan, who might lose the wicket-keeping job as Mushfiq has returned, told the reporters that he will be giving his 100% if he gets a place in the playing XI.

“I have made my Test and One-Day debut against New Zealand. Obviously, I will be hoping that if I get a chance in the team, I will give my 100%. New Zealand are a good side. I think it will be a competitive series,’’ he said in a video message.

Sohan, who showed some decent batting skills besides his wicket-keeping prowess against Australia,
said he wants to make meaningful
contributions with the bat to take the team home.

“To me, scoring a fifty or a hundred in a losing cause is less valuable than scoring just five or ten runs and make the team win. I am ready to do anything, whatever the role I will be given and will try to make some winning contributions,’’ said the wicket-keeper batsman who might be roped in for the finisher role with the bat.

In the previous series, the bowlers did a tremendous job for Bangladesh, especially Mustafizur Rahman. And Sohan thinks that the bowling department will conjure some more magic against the blackcaps too.

‘’We did very well as a bowling unit. Mustafiz was outstanding. Besides him, Shakib bhai (Al Hasan), Shoriful (Islam). We all complimented each other very well. Mahedi (Hasan) also bowled brilliantly. To speak the truth, we played as a team which is very important, and if we can continue to do so, hopefully, something good will come up,’’ Sohan said. 

Sohan also referred that there is a healthy competition inside the dressing room which encourages everyone to perform better.

“Our dressing room now has a very good environment. We might be 15 or 20 players inside the dressing room, but we all want the 11 players playing on the field to do well. It is also important to do well as a team,’’ said Sohan.