Bangladesh skipper Mashrafee bin Murtaza on Thursday said that he was ecstatic to know Courtney Walsh being appointed as Bangladesh team’s bowling coach as he had been following the West Indian legend since his childhood. Former West Indian pacer Courtney Walsh made an agreement with Bangladesh Cricket Board to work as their bowling coach till World Cup 2019.
‘I am too much excited,’ said Mashrafee, the most senior paceman of Bangladesh team for years.
‘I have always said one thing in my long career that I am always a fan of Courtney Walsh. I follow his game since I was a child. Now he is coming here as a coach and I am eager to learn many things from him.
‘It will be a great opportunity for me to get a personality like him in our dressing room.’
Mashrafee thought his team-mates are also excited like him and he reckoned the experience of Walsh will help them improve a lot, especially in the longer version game.
‘Courtney Walsh is one of the greatest bowlers of world. I think they were very passionate for Test cricket. He played 132 Tests. Not many people could play that much.
It is a great achievement to stay fit and play so many matches being a fast bowler. If he would not have passion and hunger for success, he could not have made it. It will be great if our bowlers can learn that from him.
‘There are definitely some technical aspects. He will work on them and he can also describe us how he built his career. I think these things are very important to learn.
‘Not only pacers but each of us will share the dressing room with him. I think his presence will make a huge impact on our bowling, especially in Test cricket. I am hoping for the best. I am sure others are hoping for that as well.’
Mashrafee made his Test debut back in 2001 as a promising fast bowler and still carrying the burden of the attack although he missed many longer version matches for series of injuries.
Although he is the senior most bowler of the side with vast experience, he still believed he has many things to learn from the 53-year old Jamaican. He also thought youngsters will be extremely benefitted.
‘I am not perfect yet. I make many mistakes. I shall share them with him [Walsh]. Surely he will try to amend my mistakes with his knowledge. That’s how the relationship between a player and a coach builds up.
‘Youngsters will have great opportunity to learn from him.’
-With New Age input
