All-rounder Mahmudullah brushed aside the criticism that he is still playing in the Bangladesh team because of his family relationship with skipper Mushfiqur Rahim.
Mushfiq got engaged to Mahmudullah’s sister-in-law Jannatul Khifayet Mondi last October and the wedding is set for September 27. Incidentally, Mahmudullah’s form deserted him since the engagement triggering a whisper that he is getting some undue favour from his would-be brother-in-law.
‘If somebody thinks individually, honestly speaking, I have nothing to do,’ Mahmudullah said after his first Test fifty in 21 months on Monday.
‘I cannot change people’s thinking. We do our work in the field professionally. Family relation has no effect in the field.
‘It [the criticism] also came to my attention, I feel bad because we never think this way, Insha’llah for many days I will play, I will play with my performance. When I cannot perform nobody can keep me in the team.’
Mahmudullah hit some form in the second innings of the St Vincent Test when he laboured to 66 from 151 balls to help Bangladesh stage a fightback in an otherwise one-sided contest.
This came after his previous eight innings had yielded just 71 runs with the figures reading 2, 0, 8, 0, 3, 21, 30 and 7.
It could not have come at a better time when Bangladesh were staring at a defeat inside four days after West Indies enforced a follow-on.
His 130-run fifth-wicket stand with Mushfiq also lifted the spirit of the side, still looking for their first win against a top team in 2014.
Bangladesh’s poor result in the year was down to the off-form of several key players, including Mahmudullah, who was once regarded as a vital cog in the Tigers’ machiney. Mahmudullah was so low in confidence that in some matches he even could not grab routine catches, prompting calls for his omission from many corners.
Selectors dropped him from the Asia Cup squad, though he was called back after injury to several players marred Bangladesh’s campaign.
Mahmudullah said he was suffering from depression for his poor form and part of his depression was due to the criticism by Mushfiq.
‘I don’t mind criticism, it was normal because I was not playing well,’ he said. ‘[But] if I am honest, I would say some criticism really hurts. I would say this kind of criticism [relating to Mushfiq] had a role in my depression. Lots of words are in the air…if I see this kind of criticism that is unfortunate for me.’
Mahmudullah added that he is now a relieved man after his hard work finally paid off some dividends.
‘It’s frustrating when someone sees that he is working hard in the nets, doing lots of running but at end of the day if he does not get the result. It worked inside everyone,’ he said.
‘I am now relieved because I got some runs. I will now analyse my batting and will find out the mistakes I committed so that I can play better in the next game,’ he said.
-With New Age input
