Foot work has always been a trouble for Bangladesh top order batsman Anamul Haque. The right-handed batsman, who led the Bangladesh Cricket Board XI in Kolkata and joined the national camp in Khulna a day after the team arrived, said he has put his thoughts into the issue but is also concerned as it can break down his confidence.
The 21-year-old rather takes confidence from the batsmen who did well in international cricket despite being haunted by the similar problem throughout their career.
“Everyone who plays as opener faces some kind of problem while dealing with the new balls. So if I think it as a big deal, it can affect me mentally,” Anamul told the reporters at Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium in Khulna yesterday.
“I am thinking about what I can do to rectify this problem. There were many cricketers in the world who continued playing with this problem but left behind their legacy making 8000 or 10000 runs. I am taking confidence from those cricketers.”
“In recent times, I worked with forward defense and forward leave with the swing ball. The new ball has been a continuous problem for me. If I work hard with these issues, I hope I will do well in ODI and Twenty20 cricket as well as Test cricket.”
Since his debut he has played just four Test matches in contrast to 22 ODIs, reflecting the team management’s lack of faith on him in the longer format.
The above mentioned might be the reason why coach Chandika Hathurusingha is thinking of playing the batsman at No 7 in the second Test against Zimbabwe starting tomorrow. According to sources close to the team, Anamul is considered in the XI as someone who will give skipper Mushfiqur Rahim better support.
“I am yet to be confirmed and the coach also did not talk to me about this. But I have no problem to bat in any position. In fact I was not an opener, I was used to bat in the middle order. Under-19 World Cup was the first time I opened the batting. Thereafter in the last four years, I am playing as opener,” he said.
“There are many examples that a batsman who opens the innings in ODI cricket, bats at another position in Test cricket. So it’s not a problem to adjust with it.”
Citing his call-up to the squad as a “surprising” one he said, “I’ll try my best to cement my place in the Test team if I get the opportunity.”
