Soumya revels in challenging condition to hit maiden century
Soumya Sarkar. -Cricfrenzy
||CF Correspondent||
Bangladesh’s Soumya Sarkar said on Sunday that he is happy to battle it out against all adversities as the challenge posed by New Zealand bowlers in the opening Test at Hamilton was beyond his imagination.
Bangladesh ended losing up the series by an innings and 52 runs margin but Soumya played an attacking 149 runs knock. Soumya and Mahmudullah was the highlight of the Bangladesh second innings as they struck centuries to stretch the host to the limit on the fourth day morning.
Mahmudullah made 146 whereas Soumya made 149 runs to make New Zealand sweat, something New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson also admitted, as the visitors braved it all - reverse swing, bodyline, spin into the rough, swing - to take some confidence ahead of the second Test.
Mahmudullah hailed Soumya for his brave hundred as he felt that he was the major reason they could put up 255 runs for the fifth wicket.
Soumya, who got to his hundred off 94 balls and equalled Tamim Iqbal's fastest hundred for Bangladesh, took on the short balls hurled by New Zealand, who were trying to make something out of a very placid track.
Soumya is regarded as one of the most talented batsmen in Bangladesh but since his first season, when he impressed during the 2015 World Cup and the following three ODI series against Pakistan, India and South Africa, he failed to keep his consistency.
As a result, he was dropped from the Test and ODI sides and only forced his way into the squad on the back of some performances at the domestic circuit.
"Today my aim was to survive in the wicket in that particular situation. If I had hurried against this type of bowling, I think it would have negatively impacted me and the team. I tried to adjust to the pitch and their type of bowling,’’ Soumya told reporters after the match.
“Once I was set, I tried to play on merit (of the ball). We were behind by a lot of runs with two days left, so all of these things were in my mind. It was good to have Riyad bhai alongside, as we slowly progressed,’’ he said.
"I realized that if I only [tried to] survive in the middle, a good ball may take my wicket, and I wouldn't have scored runs. I decided that I should at least be a little aggressive, even if it is not every ball, so that they, at least, think of changing their plans."
Soumya admitted that he had never faced such challenge in his career when the bowling attack seemed to be targeting his head and torso for hours and setting catchers mostly on the leg-side to take anything that might pop up.
"I don't think I have batted against this type of a bowling plan when the ball is bouncing so much from the back of a length. I have never batted against these field set-ups too," said Soumya.
“I never expected someone can set such a field. I decided to play the short ball behind, by using the bounce and the pace, rather than playing in front,’’ he said adding that he is disappointed that he failed to stay at the wicket longer.
"I think if I could have batted longer, they may have had to bat again. I am sure Riyad bhai would have continued to bat similarly if I was around for longer,’’ said Soumya.
“But still, the first Test hundred is also special. When I got the chance in this Test series, I thought about my first ODI fifty, which was also in Hamilton. When I work hard and have the mentality to stay in the wicket, I think it is possible to get results," he said.
