Shanto looking to ‘set a high standard’

Having witnessed the ups and downs at the budding stage of his career, Najmul Hossain Shanto has been able to show a fair bit of consistency for Bangladesh in Test format recently. The 23-year-old, who is expected to play a vital role on the Tigers' batting front in the upcoming two-match Test series against Sri Lanka, shared how he views his game as he spoke to The Daily Star's Mazhar Uddin during an exclusive interview, the excerpts of which are as follows:

The Daily Star (DS): You have managed to come back and showed glimpses of your potential in Tests recently despite the early setbacks. How do you see your role as a batter?

Najmul Hossain (NH): Alhamdulillah, I'm enjoying my cricket. But initially in my career, I struggled since I could only play just three Tests in the first three years. Since then, I recovered and was able to perform in the last ten to twelve Tests consistently.

I won't say that I'm playing really well but I feel that I can play a lot better, considering my ability to score big knocks. I hope to get the opportunity to regularly play more matches in the coming days, so that my performance graph improves.

DS: What areas have you worked on as a batter after being dropped from the national team?

NH: Well, my main challenge was to remain mentally strong. I used to visualise my batting and tried to remain honest to rectify my mistakes. Also, I repeatedly worked on both the technical and mental side of it. I never took it as pressure but thought of utilising my next opportunity to the fullest.

I've worked with our coach Sohel Islam after I was unable to perform in the T20 format and had a tough time in the first two or three editions of the BPL. He motivated me and [Khaled Mahmud] Sujon sir was always there to guide me as a player.

DS: Do you favour the Test format or do you aim to evolve as a cross-format batter?

NH: Obviously my focus at the moment is completely on the upcoming Sri Lanka Test series. The best thing is that I'm also in the ODI squad although I'm yet to get an opportunity to play.

However, when I do, I think my confidence in the longest format would help me to flourish in the white-ball cricket. Fortunately, I've been among runs consistently in the domestic circuit of late.

DS: As a number three batter, how do you plan to readjust to conditions at home against Sri Lanka following the seaming and bouncy tracks in South Africa?

NH: Test cricket is tough cricket, where you need to be on your toes and keep improving every day. As a number three batter, it's important to quickly adapt to different conditions.

During training sessions, we try to simulate scenarios while keeping the conditions and the nature of surfaces in mind. Against Sri Lanka, I think spin could be a big challenge, so I've begun working on it already. Since I'm playing Tests regularly, it's now gradually becoming easier for me to cope.

DS: A question mark always hovers over the temperament of our batters, especially in Test cricket.

NH: Since I bat at number three, there are occasions where we lose a few early wickets but I generally don't come out of my natural game. I stick to my game plan but yes, at times you need to be patient and buy your time as a batter according to what situation demands.

They say the best batter on the team should bat at number three so I'm looking to set such a high standard for myself.