Search for a leggie

It was almost the end of the Bangladesh national team’s spin-bowling coach Rangana Herath’s briefing with the media around the National Academy Ground in Dhaka when a question about finding leg-spinners was hurled at him.

In reply, the Lankan laughed and said, “As you said, I am also looking for some leg spinners.”

Herath’s laugh summarised the situation regarding leg-spinners in Bangladesh. Since their inception, only six leggies have featured for them in One-Day Internationals, with Jubair Hossain being the only proper one in recent history.

In Twenty20 Internationals, Aminul Islam Biplob in recent history showed promise but his international career was thwarted after reaching double digits in matches, and it has been more than a year since he played a T20 as he did not play one match in either of the last two editions of the Bangladesh Premier League.

This has become a common scenario in the country’s domestic fray as leg-spinners almost never get picked, because of the risk factor included.

But Aminul showed promise, picking up 12 wickets in those 10 matches, and Herath believes the leg-spinner can come back.

“I have been working with Biplob for many months, a few years actually. I saw the guy who played for Bangladesh and I am sure he can come back. That’s why we have him here,” Herath said about working with the leggie in the ongoing training camp for spinners.

The Sri Lankan said that he worked on a few matters with him, “It’s just bits of changes, it can be technical, it can be tactical. So, we are just having a discussion with Biplob (Aminul).”

While Bangladesh may require a leg-spinner in their upcoming T20I series against England, it could be difficult for Aminul to get into the squad due to his lack of game time in recent months.