Shakib no fan of Virat’s art of innings building

HYDERABAD: Bangladesh’s best and most charismatic batsman Shakib al Hasan has made it a habit to leave his countrymen shaken and heartbroken.

Shakib, who was batting on 82 and close to his fifth century, was needed by Bangladesh to carry on in their first-ever Test in India. However, he tried to hit out and miscued to mid-on at a crucial stage.

This isn’t the first time he has done this. Over the last five innings — including this one — he has done it thrice, even costing Bangladesh a match in New Zealand.

Asked by a Bangladesh reporter if he would like learn from Virat Kohli and try to build his innings to help Bangladesh’s cause, Shakib smiled, shaking his head without replying. He meant “No”.

In the past too he has said that he’d like to continue the way he has been playing and changing anything would hurt his batting.

In fact, Shakib seemed to have a point. When Umesh Yadav was firing on all cylinders, making life tough for the Bangladesh batsmen, it was the left-hander who took him on, playing shots that may have been risky. Shakib began by smashing Umesh, slashing his wide deliveries and then scooped one over point that could have easily gone anywhere. He then slog-swept Jadeja for a boundary to make his intentions clear.

But the most impressive bit was the way he counter-attacked R Ashwin. While the England and New Zealand batsmen, who had toured India earlier in the season seemed to suffer a brain freeze against the India offie, Shakib danced down the track to smash him over the cover region at least twice.

He may have played one too many but it was his counter-attacking knock that eventually put India on the backfoot.

“I like to play shots. Sometimes I am successful, sometimes I am not. I don’t really think about it as this is my natural game,” said Shakib.

“Obviously to me it was a good wicket. It wasn’t helping spinners that much. I know I can be positive. I can move my feet. I was trying to be as positive as I can and look to score runs rather than just blocking balls.”