Galle, Mushfiqur, and another statement 

Mushfiqur Rahim is playing only one format -- Test. 

Perhaps one of the last of a dying breed of players to focus solely on Test cricket, Mushfiqur showed with his latest ton -- against Sri Lanka in Galle on Day 1 of Bangladesh's first Test yesterday -- that there is still that reservoir of patience left in the tank of a 38-year-old in the twilight of an enduring Test career. 

Mushfiqur is three matches shy of hitting the century mark in Tests. But a lean patch saw him without a Test fifty for 13 straight knocks, with criticism surfacing whether a veteran, no matter how important, should be allowed just to reach a personal landmark despite poor form.

However, by the time Mushfiqur raised both hands after running a quick single to complete his 12th Test ton yesterday, he had answered all the doubts regarding his abilities. He did so at a ground which, in fact, made his name in Test cricket, with Galle being the venue of the first of his three Test double tons.

A bunch of single-digit scores and a 40 had preceded Mushfiqur's latest century. Even with the pressure mounting, he came through it with all the patience he had in store. There was no hurry to go for boundaries; rather, there was a lot of craftsmanship in another terrific day in Test cricket for both Bangladesh and Mushfiqur.

Skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mushfiqur stitched an unbroken 247-run fourth-wicket stand. Shanto's 136*, Mushfiqur's 105*, and Bangladesh's 292 for three at close of Day 1 sees the Tigers barge ahead through the gloom of recent performances. 

Is Galle a favourite hunting ground for Mushfiqur? One might say so.

Out of the six 200-plus stands Bangladesh have produced against Sri Lanka, Mushfiqur has been involved in four. With 1451 runs at an average of over 58, Sri Lanka may just be his favourite opponent. 

Among foreign batters, Mushfiqur is the fifth in the list of top run scorers at the Galle International Stadium. Only Younis Khan (497), Usman Khawaja (490), Joe Root (464), and Steve Smith (458) are ahead of Mushfiqur, who has 424 Test runs at the venue. Mushfiqur's innings still continues, and he can climb higher on that list. 

None of the aforementioned batters, however, has an average of 141.33 at Galle that Mushfiqur possesses, and he has done so in just his third Test at the ground. The likes of Younis and Usman played five and six Tests at the venue, while Smith also played five. Only Root has played three Tests among the top five. 

How did he approach his latest innings? With incredible calm.

Only five boundaries in that 105, Mushfiqur took 63 singles, eight doubles, and a couple of threes. He could not be lulled. The straight drive off Asitha Fernando early showed how closely he was watching the ball. He would even spend 69 deliveries at one phase without a boundary. 

Then again, with a slog sweep off a Prabath Jayasuriya delivery, Mushfiqur reminded that he would not let spinners get on top.

When the new ball was taken, Mushfiqur, approaching a hundred, bailed out of a drive. A wry smile followed, indicating that he was not after something small. 

At a venue in which Mushfiqur had indicated to go on to become a formidable Test cricketer with that double ton 12 years ago, Mushfiqur reminded that he, even at what could be termed as the beginning of the end, still has what it takes to be recognised as a batting mainstay of Bangladesh.