Bangladesh paceman Al-Amin Hossain on Tuesday said that he has been enjoying the challenge of his fellow pace bowlers to get a place in the national team and he thought it was helping the team as well. Recently Bangladesh team has changed their perennial mindset of spin-based attack to incline more on pace-based attack especially in the shorter format with the advent of some quality young bowlers.
The 26-year old paceman is not only enjoying this competition with the likes of Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Rubel Hossain and other budding fast bowlers but also he thinks the competition is helping everyone to raise their levels.
‘I think it is a positive challenge,’ said the right-handed pace bowler. ‘Whenever one gets the chance he gives his best. Mustafiz, Taskin, Rubel or Mashrafee [Mortaza]
Bhai, whoever is getting chance is giving their best to keep their position.’
Al-Amin however thought the lack of Test cricket is not allowing the Tigers to improve their performance and he has some doubt whether the team can keep its tempo.
Bangladesh last played a Test match back in July 2015 when they played the two-match series against South Africa, a series that saw only three days of action.
‘I am really in doubt whether we can keep our tempo of progress. We play very few Test matches. We play just 4-5 matches per year. If we can play more matches our performance will improve. We will have positive attitude.’
Al-Amin said that despite performing well in the last years they had to go through a long gap in the international cricket which iwas not helping them.
‘We have played so well in World Cup, Asia Cup and against India, Pakistan and South Africa yet we are not getting many games. The gap is really big.
‘We have raised our level to a degree where we can beat Zimbabwe each and every day and even they are getting Test matches.’
Bangladesh team has been blessed with some exciting pacemen over the last few years but at the same time they are injury prone and Al-Amin, who is known to keep his fitness, believe players’ self consciousness is the key to avoid injuries.
‘I think the main thing to avoid injury is the own management. One must manage oneself well by sleeping, eating or taking care of injury according to the instruction of the physio.’
Despite that, he thinks that Mustafiz may be overused and consequently has been suffering from injuries.
‘I think Mustafiz has been overused. He has played a lot more than us. He has played in IPL, BPL and in many matches. Probably he has injured himself by playing so many matches around the globe. ‘
Al-Amin thought the absence of Mustafiz, whom he hails as a special talent, will be felt by the team and he wishes his quick recovery.
-With New Age input