We will miss Mustafizur- Langeveldt
ছবিঃ বিসিবি, রতন গোমেজ
|| CF Correspondent ||
Bangladesh’s newly appointed pace bowling coach Charl Langeveldt is impressed with the overall performance of the pace bowling unit as he saw marked improvement with each passing days. The former South African pace bowler spoke at length with the media ahead of the of the one-off Test series against Afghanistan that includes several issues like the absence of Mustafizur to his immediate challenge involving of making his charges understand the importance of consistency.
Here are the excerpts...
How’s the preparation?
Yes it’s been good. Last couple of days is pleasing. Especially what I saw now in the two day game. I worked with them and now they are getting it. There was bounce for the seamers and they bowled in the right areas and that is the area that we have been working since last week. So there improvement is good, that’s exciting for me. We basically went won with the guys who are consistent in the areas. It could possibly be, reverse the ball as well. For me the pleasing aspect is to be able to control the new ball. With the old ball, they still need to work. There is still need of hard work. But I am excited with what I saw this week or the two days.
How do you see the return of Taskin?
Yeah I was excited to the match just for him as he is coming after a long injury layoff. With the bowling he was back but her struggled a bit with the second new ball back and that is because he has not play a lot of cricket.
Why did we opted to rest Mustafizur?
At the moment he is carrying niggle and we decided to rest him for that due to precaution because we have lot of white ball cricket coming up. T20 world cup is coming up. We have to look after him because he is our best bowler in T20 and 50 over format. Bowled one over today and it’s just a precaution. White ball or red ball cricket in this condition he is probably great bowler. In test cricket he is very consistent, exciting thing for me today he got wicket in his first over.
Won’t we miss the service of Mustafizur?
Yeah, who will not miss Mustafiz? He is a good bowler. If you don't miss him, then something wrong with you. He is a good bowler. So we are going to miss him, but we have to deal with this type of things as well. You have to make sure that you have backup. If he's injured he needs backup as well.
Is it due to workload management?
Yeah, it's workload because coincidentally it is a test game with a niggle which gonna make him worse. There is a tri-nation against Afghanistan and Zimbabwe, so they wanted to be available more than just one a test game. Yeah hopefully, that’s why we are resting him. We are looking for operating positions. He is obviously bowling in T20 and one-day cricket. He will play in the T20 series.
How are the players responding with you?
It was exciting for me because they learn quickly. When I saw first day they are trying to bowl wicket taking ball. I mean they are trying to take wicket from every ball. For me it’s all about consistency being able to bowl 12 ball in a row. Then we try to presses, 12 dot balls normally get you wicket in international cricket. But I know in this condition it’s very tough for pace bowler. i am very excited they learn this. For now, it is just to get consistency. So when you go overseas, when you go India, India might prepare seaming track for us, so I need to prepare them in order to be consistent. Consistency means able to bowl four out of six in the right area, making the batsmen play, bringing him forward. And that’s my big focus for now. Test cricket is all about consistency with good length. Good bowlers like Philande, he is not fast, but he is consistence in length. He may the batsmen play a lot more than any other bowler in the world.
I am excited that they are really bowling well. They bowled less in off in a over that's what you want. They created pressure from both ends. Today, they tried to do many things. The more they play the better you will be, I spoke to them about it. They need to learn from the mistakes. As from me it is the key. All of three of them impressed me. Their skills and consistency were good. They need more time in length that's they can do three spells in a day.
Do you know the wicket in ZACS?
I don’t know. From previous experience, it used to long and slow. I have not been there, I am really excited to what they are going to prepare there.
Do you feel we will have plenty of seam bowlers in our team for the next Test?
No, I have come here and play I know in this condition it’s very difficult to bowl for seamers. Our seamers straggle to bowl here. It was the last time when we are here. It’s up to the captain. If captain say he want to play one seamer for me it’s about to prepare him. If that happen make sure they are ready to play. You know I am a fast bowler and i want more pacer in the team. But at the end of the day you must understand the condition and you play according to the conditions. If captain feel he want to play few seamers that’s up to Shakib. It’s a captain’s plan. Whatever he wants, I am happy. I am only here to prepare the semears. Make sure they prepare that they can play in the Test games. If their captain prefers to play spinners and one semear, that’s his choice.
How the bowler communicate with you? Are they coming to you and ask question or they are feeling shy?
I am a very laid back guy, so you can come anytime to me and when make you feel comfortable to speak to me and that is a good things of me and no bowler is feeling shy, they are awesome. If they don't ask they can't learn. They've been good. If you meet someone and come into his country, you must ask him that how's his family. Is his family ok? That's how we can connect with the players well. Ebadat always asked me questions, however, rest of the bowlers also asked lot of questions.
What are you focusing at the moment?
I am focusing on consistency lot. Few of the guys are trying much to be consistent with the bowl. They got the skill, but they try to take wickets. It's not test cricket, test cricket means you need to be consistent which is applicable for both spinners and pacers. They showed that they want, I mean bowling. Yeah sometimes some bowlers don’t need to seam. If you want to be a seam or swing bowler, you need to get good wrist position. And that will obviously will put the swing or seam position. So I am working with grip also. Good thing is that, they learned quickly. That’s pleasing.
Do you believe we have the pacers to take 20 wickets?
Yeah that’s the challenge for me. If I don’t believe in it, I would not be here. So I have to believe in it. and it’s going to be hard work, there is still a lot of work to be done. And I confident we can do that. it won’t happen overnight, but they got the ability, they have shown me in this two-day game. They can do it.
