|| Cricfrenzy Correspondent ||

Bangladesh batsman Mushfiqur Rahim said on Monday that though it was a difficult decision to not keep wickets in Test cricket he is happy that it proved dividend for him in the long run.

Mushfiqur registered his third double century in Test and took his tally of centuries to seven in the format and the occasion has come big for the right handed batsman as it was his first century playing a Test as a pure batsman.

Mushfiqur scored unbeaten 203 runs and in the process became the leading run scorer of the country by surpassing Tamim Iqbal.

Mushfiqur has kept the wickets in 55 of 70 Tests, scoring 3,515 runs at an average of 37. That number goes down to 24.47 in 12 Tests in which he was not a designated wicket-keeper when team management stripped him off from the keeping duties.

However, it was not the case when the diminutive batsman, who was earlier adamant not to relinquish keeping duties, decided that he need to take the route followed by legendary Sri Lankan wicket-keeping batsman Kumara Sangakara, who decided not to fulfill both duties in order to concentrate on his batting in the longer format.

Mushfiqur took 15 Tests to register a century playing as a pure batsman in the fold. With the feat the right-handed batsman emerged as the Bangladesh batsman with most runs in format surpassing Tamim Iqbal. Mushfiqur is now at the top with 4413 runs in 130 innings while Tamim is at two with 4404 turns in 115 innings.  

Mushfiqur decision to not keep the wickets in the longest format of the game and put focus on his batting has been a point of discussion for a long time now. Occasions have been many when Mushfiqur was made play as a batsman in Test by the team management to which the right-handed batsman did not fully agree to until October last.

Ahead of the Banglaesh’s tour of India, Mushfiqur came to the decision to give away his role as a wicket-keeper and since then the decision has been giving him dividends.

In tour of India, Mushfiqur in four innings scored a 43, 64 and 74 while most of his fellow batsmen struggled. In his third game since his decision to play as a pure batsman, Mushfiqur touched glory as he added an unbeaten 203 runs to the board on day three of the lone Test against Zimbabwe at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Monday. Immediately after Mushfur’s heroic, Bangladesh captain Mominul Haque declared the innings on 560 for 6 with 295 runs lead.

Despite getting success Mushfiqur believes keeping the wickets had helped him keeping his full attention on the field but at the same time relived from the role now keeps him relaxed and think more with his batting.

“There have been many occasions when I played well being a wicket-keeper. I still feel it helps when you are behind the wickets. Now I need to take information from Liton [Das] of the happenings. Two [playing as a batsman and as a wicket-keeper] are different things,” said an elated Mushfiqur at the post day press conference at SBNS on Monday.

“It is also true that I am getting old now so now keeping the wickets helps me keep relax on the field and you can say that it is reflecting on my batting. I miss keeping but I respect the decision taken by the team and will try to contribute for the team the way they think is right,” former Bangladesh Test captain added.

On the day Bangladesh had gone into lunch with Mushfiqur unbeaten on 99 when the game resumed the former Bangladesh captain in all formats reached his seventh Test century. All of the previous six centuries by the 32-year old batsman had come playing as a wicket-keeper batsman. Mushfiqur eventually batted seven hours and 43 minutes to get to his third double ton.