“For me right now, the main thing is to just get Mustafizur [Rahman] back to fitness. When Fizz is fit and going, we know we have an x-factor who can win games. So the main concern now is to try and get him fit”, says Courtney Walsh, Bangladesh Bowling Coach, agencies report.
The Tigers began their training camp yesterday for the upcoming tri-nation series in Ireland, which will lead into be the ICC World Cup in England and Wales. A total of five cricketers were present during the practice session at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday.
Opening batsman Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mustafizur Rahman and Rubel Hossain revved up under head coach Steve Rhodes. The remaining members of the squad opted to take rest as they will take part in the last Super League game of the Dhaka Premier League today.
Apart from spin bowling coach Sunil Joshi, all members of the Bangladesh coaching staff were present.
Injuries remain one of the biggest concerns for Bangladesh, especially those of the fast bowlers. Bowling coach Courtney Walsh said that it would be challenging to work on the fitness of the bowlers.
“Out of the five, we have three injured -- Fizz [Mustafizur Rahman], Rubel [Hossain] and [Mohammad] Saifuddin, who has a tennis elbow injury. We need to get them back into bowling, with the right frame of mind, and be sharp enough to do a bit of bowling in Ireland and be ready for the World Cup,” Walsh told reporters yesterday.
Another pacer, Taskin Ahmed, was dropped from the Ireland series as well as the World Cup squad due to his lack of match fitness. Walsh however thought that the pacer should still prepare himself because anything can happen if someone gets injured.
“He has been injured for quite some time. He should’ve been in for the New Zealand tour. It’s more about him getting back to match fitness. And you can only do that by playing. In an ideal world, we would have liked to have him to get a look at him in Ireland but that squad is already selected. So, he has got to try and play cricket, bowl and get the match fitness because anything can happen. Even if he is not in the World Cup squad now, if someone gets injured that’s a name you want to call upon as well,” he said.
Meanwhile, Shakib Al Hasan, who has been sitting in the dug-out after playing only one game in the ongoing Indian Premier League for Sunrisers Hyderabad, is yet to join the Bangladesh camp but Walsh does not see any problem if the all-rounder stays there and plays a few matches.
