Dhaka — Bangladesh speedster Abu Jayed Rahi said he is eagerly waiting to back to the action once the restriction is lifted. The right-arm pacer has been enjoying a good time in Tests since his debut back in 2018.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Rahi is now passing time at his home in Sylhet. Since there are no official training facilities now, the pacer is keeping himself busy training at home.
“I am keeping myself busy in training at home, and passing time with the family. But as a pace-bowler, I need to gain match fitness, which is not possible at home. But I am doing my best to keep good fitness,” Rahi told UNB on Sunday.
“The most important thing to do before going to play professional cricket is to bowl for a longer period in the net. It’s true that we are working hard to stay fit to play at any time, but bowling fitness is another thing. We need to get the habit of bowling back. So I personally feel that spot bowling practice is the most important thing for a pacer to get ready to play cricket after a long gap,” the 26-year-old pacer added.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) currently said that they are thinking to prepare practising facilities for the national team cricketers at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium and Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram, and Sylhet International Stadium. Rahi insisted it will be good for him if he gets the net bowling facilities at Sylhet.
“After Eid, I wanted to go to Sylhet Stadium, but the divisional coach advised me to wait for a few more days. He said BCB might take initiatives to arrange personal training facilities for the cricketers. I also came to know that BCB is taking steps for it. I believe if I get a net to bowl alone, it will help me a lot. I don’t need people around me for this. I understand that we have to limit our contact in order to stay safe from being infected by the deadly virus,” the pacer told UNB.
To prevent the future spread of the coronavirus, ICC is planning to ban using saliva or sweat to shine the balls. Rahi said it will make the lives of bowlers tough, but he accepts the change.
“It’s obviously an inevitable change that the coronavirus is bringing to cricket. Things will be tough for the bowlers like me who relies on their swinging skill more. But I think ICC will recommend an option for us. When a change is certain we only have to adapt to this,” Rahi further told.
The pacer represented Bangladesh in nine Tests so far and accumulated 24 wickets at an average of 32.45 with the best figures of 4/71. He also played two ODIs and three T20Is and scalped 5 and four wickets respectively. He bagged five wickets in his second ODI right before the World Cup 2019.UNB
