I was mentally distraught: Mominul

How are you enjoying your batting? After seeing your 84-run innings against India last December it seemed that you have returned to form.

During the match I felt nothing special. Later, it felt good. That innings was extremely important.

Before that, you weren’t among runs for a long time…

You, of course, know that I’ve already played 55 Tests. At this stage, technical issues don’t’ seem that important any more. I know how to bat in Tests. I know how to score runs. At that time I was mentally distraught. I was the captain. I was thinking a lot about the team. When I took over as the captain, I had very big dreams. I had also told the media about it. When I started going after the dreams, that’s when I faced a small setback. Maybe that’s why I lost my focus.

What do you mean by setback?

By setback I mean… to fulfill team goals as a captain, you need to perform yourself. My individual performances weren’t good.

The bad spell continued for a long time. At the start of 2022, you scored runs in the Mount Maunganui Test against New Zealand. After that, you were starved for runs…

I lost my consistency in Tests. I scored runs in Mount Maunganui. Those runs helped us win the Test. Then after a long time, here (at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur against India) I made 85 (84) odd. That bad patch happened because of my mental state at the time. In that period, my family, wife and sir (coach Mohammad Salahuddin) stood by me the most. In those times, only your family and loved ones stay with you. Everyone else is busy with their own things. That’s how the world is.

Outside of my family, I was in close contact with sir. His support was really important. For that, I want to thank Salahuddin sir. At that time, he had sent me a stat. It contained the breakdown of all of my centuries. In all of my hundreds, my strike rate was 50-55. I scored my half-centuries in an even quicker rate. And when I didn’t score that many runs, my strike rate was around 30-35.

That means you were a bit too defensive?

It showed me that I wasn’t being aggressive enough. In all recent innings, my strike rate has been around 30. He also told me, no matter how many runs I score, even if I hit a hundred, if my strike rate is 30, it means I haven’t returned to form.

Because that would mean you still haven’t batted like you naturally do, right?

Yes. Knowing this helped me a lot. After that I thought, it’s true! I’ve lost my aggressiveness. I may have scored 84 runs against India, but in that innings my strike rate was also good.

Your fifty had come in quick time…

Yes, that was my natural style, which I had lost. I’ve already said this, this happened because of the extra pressure of captaincy, me having to think about the team. In Mount Maunganui I had scored runs. But even in that match I took a lot of time.

The team won on the back of that innings.

But that wasn’t my natural style. If I play 10 innings like that, I’ll maybe be successful in three innings. If I keep playing the way I’ve grown up playing, that would increase the likelihood of my success. Out of 10 times, I’ll probably be successful on seven matches. The way I played in Mount Maunganui, wasn’t my natural style.

Now, almost everyone bats aggressively in every format.

Batting aggressively means to bat with a positive intent. Positive intent doesn’t mean aiming for the fences in every ball.

As you are no longer the captain, do you feel more at ease?

When you don’t captain the team, the pressure on you obviously is less. Then you can focus more on your own game. You can think about yourself. But dreams don’t just go away like that. My dream about the Test team…

You had a dream of forming a solid Test team, how much did you succeed?

Almost. We progressed a lot in terms of pace bowling.

You said you don’t think too much about technique. Then why this new stance?

This is a new stance. Probably I won’t try this in Test cricket right now. I will do this when I play white ball cricket. I have tried it in practice, I think it won’t be right for Test cricket. But with this stance, I can play shots all around the ground in white ball cricket.

Can you explain?

You can see the ball better. You can easily play shots against balls directed at your rib cage.

You didn’t get a team in this year’s BPL. Did you start working on your technique in white ball cricket after that?

No. When I was playing in the previous BPL, I felt that I have to play differently in white and red ball cricket. As I grow older, I need to keep making these small adjustments. I have to play differently against the new and the old ball. Bat one way against spin and in another way against pace.

Isn’t it difficult to switch from one batting style to another?

As you keep doing it, it seeps into your psyche. It becomes muscle memory.

You are also shuffling on the crease. This is also new…

No. That’s for the first 15-20 balls. It could cause some problems if I do this against the red ball. Because the red ball swings more. If I move around too much, my head position could be wrong.

After not getting a team in this year’s BPL, how are you approaching white-ball cricket now?

I’m actually focusing on how I can add more shots against the red ball in my repertoire. If I can add new shots in my red ball game, it would help me in white ball cricket as well. I think I need to add a few more strokes in my arsenal for Test cricket.

You are definitely thinking about the pull shot…

Yes. Liton and some of the others can hit pull shots for six almost on command.

There have been changes in the coaching staff. Chandika Hathurusingha has returned. You have worked with him in the past as well. How are you finding him this time around?

He has matured. He seems much better in every aspect.

Last time you had a falling out with him…

Nothing happened between me and him. You (the media) have made it up (smiles).

Everyone in the national team is talking about scoring quickly in Tests as well. How are you seeing it?

It depends on the condition and opponent. If the condition is good, you can score 400 in 100 overs. If the match was against India or some other big team, the approach would have to be different. If the condition is good, it allows you to score 400 in a day, then why shouldn’t you score that much. If you lose five wickets or so, so be it.

You surely enjoy this style of cricket…

I really enjoy it.

Because it goes with your style of batting?

Yes, that’s the reason. It would be difficult for me to play too defensively. If you played 300 balls to score 100 runs, it means the wicket was good. Because you survived 300 balls. If you play 300 balls, then you should at least make 200 runs. If you have the chance, score 400 in a day. Finish a five day match inside four days.

Is this what we will see in the future?

Definitely. Cricket is heading that way. In Test, in the last over before drinks break, lunch break the fielders are brought in closer to the batsman. Because the batsmen are trying to save their wickets before the interval. But now, you will see when the fielders are brought in closer, the batsmen will hit it over their heads for a six. They’ll think that mid-on, mid-off is inside the circle, spinners are bowling, let’s take a chance. At the end of the day, it’s a game of runs. Yes, maybe you won’t be successful in the beginning. But ultimately you will be successful. The more defensive you are, the more you’ll be in trouble. If you only think about survival, you’ll be in trouble. In war and in life, there is no place on earth where you can just somehow survive. If you can dominate, you might face trouble at the beginning, but later you will be successful.

That would be better for Test cricket fans as well…

Yes, definitely. The fans will also enjoy it. The cricketers will also enjoy it. Nobody likes to play the same way all the time.

To execute this style of play, the players also need to have that capability. Like England is doing it because they have formed their team with white-ball big-hitters.

Yes, it has to come from the cricketers. It completely depends on mentality. If you decide to do it, it might happen on the first day, or the second day but on the third day you will get it right.

Will you try to play the same way in first-class cricket as well?

I want to. I will try doing it in the Chattogram division team in the next NCL. If the wickets are good, the matches will be fast scoring.

And if the conditions are challenging?

Then it would be tough. If the condition is good, you can bat aggressively.

In Bangladesh, it’s difficult to bat in the first 20 overs. After that, kookaburra or SG balls present no threat.

Yes, that’s what I wanted to say. If your opener bats for 20 overs, it would get easier for him to bat aggressively. Suppose, Tamim bhai has batted 20 overs, he can then attack. He tries to attack the new ball itself. He will become even more aggressive after that. You have to realise, everything depends on condition. And just playing attackingly doesn’t mean having positive intent. If you let a good ball go with proper footwork, that is also positive intent. Because that would mean your feet is moving well.

You spoke a lot about Test culture in your captaincy. What do you think we are at right now?

We will get there gradually. Right now, it’s tough. There will be a time when it won’t seem difficult. With time, things are improving. It will further improve in the future.