‘When Shakib comes into the group, it creates calmness’
All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has added a different vibrancy to the group since joining the Bangladesh camp in Chattogram, which may be helping the rest get over the 328-run defeat in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Sylhet.
The second and final Test begins tomorrow and Nic Pothas, who is overseeing the fielding side of things alongside being the interim head coach in Chandika Hathurusingha's absence, talked about the calmness Shakib brings to the group.
Shakib was joking around with players since joining camp, as seen in the media footage. Yesterday he was seen teasing skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto for having reached out to a delivery way outside the off stump in the second innings of the Sylhet Test, with Shoriful Islam joining in.
As the senior, Shakib brings a lightheartedness around the group while Shanto and Mehedi Hasan Miraz also discussed things with the former Test skipper during the practice session yesterday.
Shakib was also getting acquainted with the new coaching staff in the Tigers' rank after being back in the side following the World Cup in India last year.
"I think any team that has Shakib in it is very fortunate. We welcome him back. It is always great to have him in the change room. His energy is very infectious. He has a lot of experience for the guys to learn from and whenever Shakib is back, he's, he's a giver. So we really enjoy having him around the group," Pothas said in the pre-match press conference today.
Bangladesh need to win the second Test in order to avoid a series defeat. But as the Sylhet Test had seen disastrous batting in both innings, Shakib's ability, not only as a batter but also as a senior star, to keep the Tigers' on the prowl instead of focusing on the Sylhet defeat would be crucial to getting a result in the Chattogram Test.
"When Shakib comes into the group, it creates calmness. You know, it also supplies Shanto with an extra person he can get advice from. A very, very experienced person on the field. He just brings calm. He is a world-class cricketer," Pothas said.
The interim head coach was also happy with the preparation that Shakib has come with despite being out of the national team for a while.
"It looks like he has lost weight. So he's been training. He has had a good BPL. He's had a good start to the Dhaka Premier League. He's happy and that's the only place we want Shakib. We want him happy. So, he looks great," Pothas concluded as Tigers look for Shakib's influence to get a result in the Chattogram Test.