Shakib al Hasan has been the world’s number one all-rounder in Tests and Twenty20 internationals for quite some time now. However, off the field, he was yet to grasp the intricacies of the press.
In recent times though, Shakib has learned to grow as a cricketer when it comes to interacting with the media. Now, the champion all-rounder is at absolute ease while facing tricky questions.
Handling the media well and in a matured way is part and parcel of every international cricketer’s job. At times, a cricketer can land himself in trouble if one of his answers is inappropriate. A wrong answer or even an irresponsible statement can create a controversy in no time.
Shakib though is not one to fall into that trap. These days, he answers more sensibly whenever a tricky question comes his way.
Yesterday, the conference room of the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground was packed with the presence of Bangladeshi and Indian journalists ahead of the crunch quarter-final clash between the two south Asian rivals tomorrow. And, the majority of the Indian journalists were quite eager to hear something out-of-the-box from the poster boy of Bangladesh cricket.
Even though the Indian media contingent Down Under rates Shakib highly, they wanted to rile him up in the presser by recalling Virender Sehwag’s statement made during the 2011 ICC World Cup.
Sehwag had termed Bangladesh as “easy opponents” but yesterday, Shakib was calm and resolute and instead of getting annoyed, his reply was composed.
“I don’t think any team in the World Cup will take their opponent lightly as it’s a quarter-final and I think no one will be complacent,” he said before adding, “I guess no one will take anyone lightly.”
Things used to be different in the past though. Shakib, who completed his Higher Secondary Certificate exams from the Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishthan, gave a controversial interview to a local daily newspaper last year during Bangladesh’s disastrous ICC World T20 campaign at home.
Shakib had said, “It would be best if we play outside Bangladesh for two years. When there will be less games at home, the people’s expectations will also be reduced. People should put a lid on their expectations.”
“I think when we play a tournament or a series or even when we play any big competition, we try not to focus on the outside. We generally try to avoid what’s going on off the field. And if there is expectation, I do not think the players take it negatively,” he said.
