Rishad Hossain has been one of the most impressive young cricketers in the Bangladesh team of late. He has been a genuine wicket-taker for the Tigers, and also contributed with handy runs down the order. The 23-year-old is also one of the most reliable fielders in the Bangladesh setup.
His three-dimensional skills and solid performances in recent assignments helped him sign a deal with Hobart Hurricanes, where he will be playing in the upcoming edition of the Big Bash League (BBL). Rishad said that
he is excited to spend time with the legendary Ricky Ponting, who is the head of strategy for the Hobart Hurricanes.
"As a legspinner, if I get to play in these foreign leagues, it will be good for me and for my bowling. I'll get opportunities to improve my skills," Rishad said in an interaction organised by Hurricanes.
"Ponting was one of my favourite players growing up; I used to watch him play. I'm really looking forward to working with him. More than the players, I'm looking forward to working with Ricky Ponting and playing under his coaching," he added.
Rishad has made a name for himself for picking up wickets in the middle overs. The youngster wants to continue the good work while playing the Hobart. The Nilphamari-born said that he is looking to hone his craft without worrying too much about what lies in the future.
"As a legspinner, my job is to take wickets after the powerplay. I hope to continue that in Hobart. My goal is to create doubt in the batter's mind by using different angles. It's just another variation. I believe in my strengths, and day by day I'm trying to improve - even if it's just by one or two percent - without thinking too much about the future," Rishad said.
I think it was important to get off to a good start right after the Asia Cup: Rishad
Rishad has taken at least one wicket in seven of the last eight T20Is - including five wickets in the recent T20I series against Afghanistan in Sharjah that Bangladesh won 3-0. He will have a key role to play during the ODI series involving the two teams, which begins on Wednesday, October 8.
"I think it was important to get off to a good start right after the Asia Cup. Winning the series is always a good feeling," Rishad said.
Rishad and Nasum Ahmed outbowled the Afghanistan spinners during the T20I series, which is no mean feat. The former explained how they planned ahead of the series.
"They have a lot of world-class bowlers in their side, so we tried to analyse them as much as we could before every game. We got success [too]," he added.
