New Zealand vice-captain Ross Taylor does not mind taking up the responsibility as he aims to hit the form having scored his last one-day international century in Chittagong in 2008.
‘There are a lot of other experienced players in our side but I enjoy the responsibility and the role I am playing in the team. I guess I have to score runs and lead from the front as there is no other way about it,’ Taylor told reporters on Friday after the practice session at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.
New Zealand opted for practice at the SBNS after their first warm-up match, scheduled at the BKSP, was called off for poor weather and unplayable ground condition. However, Taylor had little complaint.
‘I mean you cannot control the weather and the ground we were supposed to play on was under water, the wicket I heard was fine but the outfield was a bit wet, today I think we had a good training, the weather is obviously lot hotter than New Zealand, hopefully we can acclimatise a bit more to the condition,’ he said.
Taylor was also hardly concerned about his form despite struggling at the recently-concluded Champions League Twenty20 in South Africa where he played for Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
‘Twenty20 is a different ballgame and sometimes you are disappointed not to get runs, but I am not as I feel I am in good nick and am here to get some runs.’
Asked about the burden of captaincy the New Zealander elaborated: ‘I am enjoying the vice-captaincy as I already have it for six months and I also enjoyed captaining the side in Sri Lanka with mixed results I guess, I have been told that I am the vice-captain on this tour and that was the case in New Zealand.’
The Kiwi, who scored his last ODI hundred in Chittagong, was not taking the hosts lightly and had some advice for the players of New Zealand who are visiting the subcontinent for the first time.
‘Bangladesh is an emerging nation and they are a very tough competitor at home and we are expecting a good fight and we won’t be taking them lightly. Spinners in the subcontinent as
always are probably their most dangerous weapon as back in New Zealand the wickets don’t turn much, so some of the players who haven’t been here before will have to cope with the slowness of the wicket and Bangladesh spinners are very dangerous on this slow track.
‘I scored my last hundred in Chittagong and it’s been a long time since I scored a hundred in international cricket, so I guess I would like to repeat that feat if I can,’ he said.
About the wicket the New Zealander added: ‘I haven’t seen the wicket but the last time we played here it was slow on the first day and we are expecting that.’
He also said that Bangladesh will feel the absence of Tamim Iqbal.
‘Losing Tamim will be a big loss for the Bangladesh side, the amount of runs he scored in the last 12 months not only in one-day cricket but also in Tests,’ Taylor said.
