‘Ebadot will definitely be a great bowler’

Pacer Ebadot Hossain surprisingly arrived as the leading character in Bangladesh's emphatic Test triumph over New Zealand in their own backyard, after which The Daily Star's Ekush Tapader caught up with a certain Sri Lankan who had a significant role behind Ebadot's development. The excerpts of the interview where Champaka Ramanayake, the bowling coach of the Bangladesh High-Performance (HP) team, shared his thoughts about Ebadot's journey and Bangladesh's pace bowling culture, are given below:

The Daily Star (DS): What's your take on Ebadot's bowling in Mount Maunganui?

Champaka Ramanayake (CR):  A historical spell, I would say! And everyone will remember as it's probably the biggest win in Bangladesh's history. Ebadot bowled consistently well, as shown by his bowling figures. Yes, to bowl on the fourth day onwards is a very difficult thing to do, as your body gets exhausted, and yet, he maintained a beautiful line and length with courage. That's what I've been telling him for a long time, that consistency will bring rewards. It was long overdue but it finally arrived.

To beat the number one team in their soil is a remarkable achievement. I'd like to thank the selectors for having faith in him despite the fact he didn't perform that well before. I'm delighted because he was my student and was with me for a long time. Other bowlers – Shoriful, Taskin and Mehedi -- maintained consistency as well, right throughout the game.

DS: In the first ten Tests, Ebadot had taken only 11 wickets and so everyone was actually surprised at his six-for. Did you also feel the same?

CR:  Yes, it was really unbelievable, and that too on the fourth and fifth day! Having been a fast bowler myself, I know it's not easy. I hope now he'll be a very confident guy since he knows that he can take wickets. That belief is there.

DS: What would your advice be so that Ebadot and company can frequently repeat this sort of form?

CR: In Bangladesh, the condition favours the spinners. But away, the presence of a lot of grass on the pitch assists the fast bowlers. If you hit the right channels consistently, you will be rewarded. But for that you require patience.

Ebadot has accomplished that, and it's huge. He will definitely be a great bowler in the next couple of years.

DS: Ebadot bowled from both sides, and he reversed the ball. How do you see that?

CR: If you're working on something like that for a long time, it becomes a habit.

DS: From being a volleyball player in the Air Force, how did Ebadot adapt to cricket and especially the tough ask of pace bowling?

CR: He had that base and a nice rhythm to start with, that's a gift he had in him. When he first arrived onto the scene, I saw he already possessed the skills, but not quite the consistency. And over the years, he played a lot of cricket, including a few test matches. I knew he was upset for not picking many wickets in Tests but I always reminded him to remain patient and consistent.

DS: How do you view his bowling action? It looks very smooth. Do you think it can help him avoid injury for an extended period?

CR: He appears to be a very fit guy and his action allows him to bowl for a longer period of time. That is a gift as well.

DS: How do you see the current Bangladesh pace bowling unit in Tests?

CR:  Three or four guys are coming through. Taskin, Shoriful and then you got Khaled [Ahmed] so you've got backups too. But you must believe in these guys and that's why I praised the selectors earlier.

DS: There was a time when Bangladesh were not interested in playing pace bowlers in home conditions. Do you think the mindset needs to change now?

CR:  Different conditions demand different bowlers. Since Bangladesh's home condition favours the spinners more than the seamers, they play accordingly. But maybe things can change now with good resources, and it all depends on what you want from the team. Of course, some changes can be made in domestic cricket, but Test cricket is very tactical. But you can always give it [fast bowling] a try. I'd say Bangladesh should play more pacers in the ODIs on a sporting wicket.

DS: How important is it to develop a pace bowling culture in Bangladesh? Can you mention some future prospects?

CR: Now Bangladesh have their best-ever pace bowling attack. Previously, there was Mashrafe [Bin Mortaza] but he had little support. Now, with the current crop of quicks and the pipeline, things are looking good.   

You can always develop this culture. There are a lot of fast bowlers in the Under-19 and in the HP team where I work. I have worked with Shoriful, another student of mine, who is doing very well right now. There are a lot of upcoming bowlers at the moment. For instance, Raja [Rejaur Rahman] is one of those guys who got a strong base. I'm very happy with his recent performances. I believe he can carry that onto the international platform in future.