Mashrafe believes Mustafizur will revolutionise Bangladesh cricket

As Mustafizur Rahman foxes batsmen with aplomb in the Indian Premier League, Bangladesh ODI skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza talks about the young sensation in an exclusive interview with bdnews24.com.

Ariful Islam Roneybdnews24.com
Published : 25 April 2016, 03:33 AM
Updated : 25 April 2016, 10:55 AM

Q. Mustafizur has been playing superbly in the IPL. Have you been watching?

Mashrafe: Mustafizur's success was expected. Top batsmen across the world have trouble reading him. IPL teams comprise four foreign and seven Indian players. He is supposed to do well there, it's no surprise. In an interview before the IPL, I said Mustafizur will be one of the top three wicket-takers - still looking forward to that.

Q. IPL involves lots of off-field issues. He is abroad alone for the first time. Language issues, the glamour, so much travelling – it's a different world there. But he coped pretty fast. Was it not surprising?

Mashrafe: I knew he wouldn't have any problem over those issues. His cricketing skills can overshadow all his other shortcomings. Say he spends 10-12 days without practice, just sleeping, still he will surely be able to bowl with guile and venom in a match. He can bowl cutters with his eyes closed, it comes naturally to him. Mustafizur is far more skilful than all his contemporaries.

Q. You see him up close all the time. Is he really as unplayable as batsmen claim? Or do they just succumb to Mustafizur's reputation?

Mashrafe:
I'd say, he is much more difficult to play than it seems. Simply consider this, all batsmen know he will bowl cutters but still struggle to play them. Why? Firstly, because of the diversity of his cutters. It's difficult reading his wrist action. And now he has more tricks up his sleeve. The slower ones are there, his yorkers have become much better. He bowls bouncers too. All these variations keep batsmen guessing all the time. If you look closer, you'll see batsmen miss many of his full toss deliveries. That's because they fail to read those balls. Sometimes he may have to bear with one or two sixes and fours, but he is basically unplayable. A batsman like AB de Villiers could not play him even after getting set.

Q. Most Indian wickets are batting paradise, without any bite for bowlers. Yet Mustafizur manages to get wickets regularly. Is it because of his variations?

Mashrafe: It's good for him if the ball does grip the surface but it's not necessary. He has developed a wide repertoire. He can now bowl at 142-143 kmph, and with a cross seam that unsettles the batsman. He has been bowling perfect yorkers.

Q. Was it not surprising to see him bowl at 142-143 kmph ?

Mashrafe:
He bowled at 138-140 kmph in the World Cup too. The boost in his speed now has made his slower ones and cutters more effective. He is still young. His muscles have not fully matured yet. I believe he will bowl faster in the future. But with his skills, it's fine even if it doesn't.

Q. He has been bowling great yorkers. Even a few days ago it was not so flawless.

Mashrafe: Actually he's been doing it well since the Asia Cup. He bowled good yorkers to (Angelo) Mathews and (Chamara) Kapugedera in the slog overs of the match against Sri Lanka. He did it well in the World T20 as well. The glamour of the IPL attracts much focus on players. The sight of Andre Russell floored by one of his yorkers has become unforgettable to many. But yes, he has fitted into the IPL very well. He has been playing matches regularly there and he is a quick learner too.

Q. Everybody has been saying he is a 'quick learner'. His captain at Sunrisers Hyderabad, others in the team management, commentators and critics have all been talking about how good his cricket brain is. What is your take on that?

Mashrafe:
Natural talent is definitely a key factor there and he has it  He grasps everything very quickly. It's been just a year since he stepped in international cricket and has played in the team regularly after entering the national team. He has gained some experience and he puts them to good use. He can read the batsmen quickly. And he also has that God-gifted special, cutters. He is a very smart bowler on the whole.

One other thing is when someone is at the peak of the life, the mind slowly opens up. The positive aspects of the on-field performance influence other spheres of his life as well. Again a disciplined life is also reflected on his on-field performance, it's all linked.

Q. Mustafizur has been arranging his field by himself most of the times in the IPL. It is something rare for such a young bowler. Is it the same in the Bangladesh team, or do you do it?

Mashrafe: In the Bangladesh team, we all know how to arrange the field when he is bowling. His field arrangement is a bit different from the rest. For instance, instead of a long-on we prefer employing a mid-on for him in the slog overs, and two more fielders near the square leg and midwicket boundary. In general no other bowler in the world dares to keep a mid-on in the slog overs. But it is very difficult to play Mustafizur straight. You saw yesterday (Saturday), [Nikhil Naik] got out trying to hit him over mid-on. These things are naturally new to David Warner, maybe that is why Mustafizur is doing it himself.

Q. Despite bowling superbly, he has not been getting too many wickets. Is it because the batsmen are extra careful dealing with him?

Mashrafe:
That's true. I did think he would get a haul of four or five wickets by now. But how will he get wickets when everyone is beaten in such manners that they can't even lay a bat on him. They keep missing repeatedly. Someone like Brendon McCullum had no idea what Mustafizur was doing.

Playing with caution is also crucial. Taking wickets also need luck. Maybe he will get many wickets in one of forthcoming matches. I believe, he will only get better. I've already said I am hoping to see him in the top three.

Q. His best delivery or performance so far?

Mashrafe: I was eagerly waiting to see how Mustafizur bowls against AB de Villiers. In world cricket at present, no other batsman is as dangerous as de Villiers when he is set. So I always wondered how he bowls to him . But when Mustafizur took him out with his second ball, I had no more doubt or question left . That is why that wicket is special.

But if I had to choose the best delivery, Russell's wicket would be it. Because many did not even expect such a perfect yorker from him and Russell fell flat trying to block the ball.

Q. Do you think Mustafizur can take so much playing? How crucial is it to handle him and how much responsibility falls on whom?

Mashrafe:
It is the most crucial thing for the future. A person is mostly responsible for taking care of himself. Mustafizur is capable of doing that very well. He is a very disciplined boy. So I don't worry too much about it.

The worry lies elsewhere. I have full confidence, Mustafizur's demand will be tremendous in leagues and tournaments around the world. In that case, he himself and his family need to consider what's best for him. He has endured two spells of injury in the past few days. He has been playing continuously over the last year. He went into the IPL right after the World T20. He may then come to play two or three Dhaka Premier League matches. From here he will head for Sussex. We will be touring India, then a home series against England, followed by New Zealand tour. When does he get to rest?

I say he has decide very carefully, which game to play and which to skip. Because at the end of the day these T20 tournaments have little virtue in terms of cricketing benefits though they bring financial benefits. Being professional cricketer, the financial aspects have to be considered. He will naturally want to play in the IPL where the BPL [Bangladesh Premier League] is our league. Apart from these he should play only where the financial profit would be considerable while never compromising with his body.

His family, acquaintances, out board, everybody has a responsibility. Even a machine goes out of order if it does not get rest. His body is not a machine. Mustafizur is an asset for Bangladesh, we must realise that. We have to make sure that Bangladesh gets the highest service he has to offer, so that he can play for at least 10-12 years for Bangladesh. I believe, Mustafizur will change Bangladesh cricket.