|| CF Correpondent ||

Bangladesh team's performance analyst Srinivas Chandrasekaran says that Shakib Al Hasan’s will of having a look at his weak points of batting to know himself from an opponent’s perspective- has changed, in fact improved him more as a batsman which is clear like crystal, so far in this ICC World Cup 2019.

“He came and asked where are the areas I would pick to restrict him...then I explained how we would stop him as an opponent, showed his weak zones and explained him where he needs to improve. He took notes of everything I said,” Chandrasekaran, who was also Sunrise Hyderabad’s analyst, narrated his conversation with Shakib during last IPL campaign was quoted in a leading Bangladeshi website.

The analyst explained how hard Shakib was working to improve his(Shakib’s) fitness before the World Cup as he said the all-rounder was practicing more than regular sessions when Sunrise left him behind their playing side.

“He started with fitness sessions. Sunrise had an excellent fitness trainer and Shakib followed his routine strictly,” he told.

“As the World Cup was ahead he wanted to spend more time at practice sessions. He was practicing on his own when there was no team practice session and he was also present at the evening sessions with the squad,” he added.

“He also gave his body time to recover as it is important after a heavy practice session. He maintained everything perfectly. I don’t think he was on break for a single day during the whole IPL.”

Shakib who is sitting at number three of top scorers’ chart in this World Cup, scored 476 runs in seven matches- just 24 runs short of Aussie opener David Warner who is leading the board.

Shakib played brilliantly throughout this World Cup against the spinners, he kept his strike rate high as he looked more comfortable against the short balls than before which was a major concern for Bangladeshi batsmen.

Chandrasekaran said Shakib had nurtured his strong areas that helped him overcome his boundaries and made him successful at number three.

“Obviously I don’t want to reveal where he had to improve,” the analyst declined to confess when asked where Shakib needed to be improved as a batsman.

“But now, as he is batting at number three, he keeps a more organized mind set. And if you notice, his shot range has increased against spin balls which is very necessary to play a big innings,”

“Shakib has always been good in playing poll shots. But sometimes your strong zone also gets rusted and then you have to work hard to overcome that. And you have seen in this world cup, every time he got a short ball, he tried to play a poll shot and played cut if he managed to get some extra space”

Chandrasekaran explained what role he (Chandrasekaran) played as the analyst of the team in improving Shakib and the analyst also addressed Salahuddin, who was Shakib’s childhood mentor, called up by the all-rounder at Sunrisers Hyderabad camp during the 2019 edition of IPL.

“As an analyst, my job is to explain things and show them (where they need to improve). And working with those areas and fixing it. And then rests depend on the players. Many small problems need to be fixed by giving more time in practice with extra care,” he told.

“Shakib called coach Salahuddin to India. He worked really hard in every session with Shakib. Now Shakib executing it in the match though everyone can’t do the same what they do in practice. But Shakib has been successful in doing everything perfectly.”