I can serve the best as wicketkeeper batsman: Mushfiqur Rahim

The Bangladeshi Test skipper Mushfiqur Rahim has found himself in the firing line in the recent times. Many cricket pundits including some of the officials in the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) have remarked that they wish to see Rahim play as a specialist batsman in the side. They are of the opinion that the captaincy duties and the wicketkeeping role is taking a toll on Rahim. And that is affecting his game as a batsman.

It is believed that if Mushfiqur plays as a specialist batsman without these duties in hand, he can serve the team better. This comes as a validated point from the board point of view, considering that they want their best batsman to stay focused on batting. However, as per the recent quotes in the Dhaka Tribune, Rahim remarked that the best way in which he can serve the national side is as the wicketkeeper-batsman.

Rahim’s keeping had always been under the scanner. Things resurfaced when his poor captaincy and wicket keeping was on display during the recent one-off Test against India at Hyderabad. Rahim had missed an easy stumping of Wriddhiman Saha in the match.

Also, his antics as the skipper were unimpressive. Despite all the brouhaha surrounding these discussions, Rahim has been named to continue the duties for the Sri Lanka tour. He recently pointed out that there are no keepers who do not make mistakes. Even a keeper as good as Wriddhiman Saha made a mistake in the same match, he pointed out.

“There is hardly any wicket-keeper in the world who does not make a mistake. Saha is one of the best keepers I have seen. I try to follow him but there are times when he also does mistakes behind the stumps. He missed a catch (of Mahmudullah in the second innings of the Test). The situation could have been different for him if Mahmudullah had stayed and drew the game,” quoted Mushfiqur Rahim.

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“We always try to be on our toes. But still we make mistakes. Cricket is bread and butter for us so there is no chance for us to be disloyal. We always make effort to do our best,” he added further.

Elaborating his point a little more, he noted that there are big heads who will take the call on his future as captain and wicketkeeper. But if they were to take his opinion, he would like to continue as a wicket keeper batsman. He also added that his batting position depends on where the team management fits him in the match. He is willing to bat up the order if the team wishes to have so.

“There is the coach, the management and the board to decide my role in the team. I was not a keeper in the Asia Cup T20 last year and had played a few matches as a batsman. It was decided by the management. But if you ask for my personal opinion, I believe I will serve the team best as a wicketkeeper-batsman,” said Rahim.

“We have a good team combination at the moment. It depends on the management if I bat at the top or not. The top order is not into regular runs, maybe that is why questions are being asked. I can bat at the top in future. I am ready for it if the team need,” he concluded.