DHAKA (BSS)-The way fast bowler Rubel Hossain thrived in the ODI and T20 cricket and established him as one of the best pacers in those two formats in the country, he simply can’t translate this performance in the longer version cricket.
With 36 wicket under his belt in 27 matches at an average of 76.77 Rubel possessed the worst average in Test cricket amongst the fast bowlers. His average often becomes the source of joke in casual hang out, which is embarrassing for him, admitted Rubel.
As per record, he possessed the fourth worst bowling average in Test cricket history but leads the chart of worst bowling average amongst the fast bowlers.
Sri Lanka’s leg-spinner Ashoka de Silva possessed the worst bowling average, with 129 in 10 matches. India’s off-spinner Motganhalli Jaisimha averaged 92.11 in 39 matches while England’s leg-spinner Ian Salisbury had
average of 76.95 in 15 matches.
The stat proves two bowlers, that too the spinners, played lesser number of matches than him and thereby didn’t get the chance to improve their record.
“This is really embarrassing for me and sometimes I can’t simply take it,” Rubel told the BSS here today.
For a bowler, who won Bangladesh several matches in ODI and T20 format, it is really embarrassing. But Rubel is not sure exactly why he couldn’t translate his shorter version performance in the Test cricket.
“I don’t know what happened to me when I played Test cricket. I bowled well and my economy rate was also well but luck was not with me. Because I didn’t get wickets and if you don’t get wickets in Test cricket, your average would hit low. Sometimes I also ask myself, why I didn’t get many wickets in Test cricket despite bowling well. In Test cricket, you have to bowl well in long spell. Sometimes I thought whether I had lack of passion and patience for Test cricket.”
But despite that Rubel trashed some people’s claim that he didn’t find Test cricket particularly to his likings.
“It’s wrong all together. As a cricketer I always believe Test cricket is the ultimate format and as a player, you will feel you fulfilled only when you will thrive in Test cricket,” the fast bowler, who is now aiding the coronavirus affected people, remarked.
After making debut against West Indies in Kingstown in 2009, Rubel’s career seemed to go in right direction when he took 3-76. Thereafter he could take only one wicket in three matches before hitting back in style with 5-166
against New Zealand in Hamilton in 2010. Unfortunately that remains the only five-wicket haul in his career.
He later tasted a dire run in Test cricket, which forced the team management to rethink about his future in longer version format.
“Yes I got enough opportunities but if you look at my career, you will see I played 27 Tests in 11 years. I don’t know whether I can tell that really I get enough chances in consistent basis. But again, I can’t complain because when we play cricket in Bangladesh, the team management basically relies on spinners. So the scope for a fast bowler is limited here,” he said.
“But I don’t want to blame anybody else. It’s only my fault that I can’t thrive in Test cricket. You need passion and patience to be successful in longer version format. Probably I lacked that.”
But that doesn’t mean, Rubel gave up the hopes to improve his record in Test cricket. He said that he would try again to make him available in the longer version format even though the competition is stiff now.
“I will talk to the coaches once the coronavirus pandemic is over. I am not the player who will give up hopes so easily. I will try my best,” Rubel concluded.
