Rishad, who recently grabbed a career-best 6 for 35 against the West Indies, the best ODI figures by a Bangladeshi spinner has already made a mark in white-ball cricket. The 23-year-old has featured in 12 ODIs and several T20Is but is yet to debut in Tests.
Having played 21 first-class matches, Rishad’s height, turn, and deceptive wrong make him a genuine Test prospect, according to Mushtaq.
"I 100 percent expect him to [play Tests]. For the last four wickets, especially against teams like Australia and England who can bat deep, a leg-spinner who can bowl a good wrong one with Rishad's height and bounce can be very lethal. Last four batsmen cannot read his wrong one. He can be perfect for Test cricket, but he has to earn that place by bowling good overs," Mushtaq said.
Mushtaq also revealed that Rishad benefited from a chat with Afghan star Rashid Khan during the Asia Cup.
"I wanted the young spinner [Rishad] to talk to him. They exchanged point of views. Rishad is a different bowler than Rashid, but they both share good wisdom, young players need to speak to all senior players like Rashid, Adil [Rashid], etc. It's a good sign that people are starting to rate him internationally," Mushtaq said.
Looking ahead to the second ODI against West Indies, Mushtaq remains optimistic about a clean sweep.
“In Sha Allah, we can win 3-0. Belief is everything in international cricket. If we believe strongly, we can beat any side. Bangladesh has the talent, they just need the conviction.”
