Mushfiqur Rahim was in high demand after his team Mohammedan won the battle of prestige against archrivals Abahani at Mirpur yesterday. It is but natural to want to hear the thoughts of a captain whose side won a crucial match quite comfortably.

And if that man also happened to be the Bangladesh Test captain the demand obviously would be redoubled, so the reporters sent the message continuously to the dressing room through the club officials but every time the officials returned with gloomy faces.

“He [Mushfiqur Rahim] said no. I don't know why he has been giving the cold shoulder to the media,” was the answer given by Ziaur Rahman Topu, a Mohammedan official. The reporters have also no clear idea about why he was so desperate to avoid the media. It was even difficult for the wicketkeeper-batsman to allow the presence of some media people who went to the ground the other day to gather information for the preview of the archrivals' battle.

One would think that a seasoned campaigner like Mushfiqur obviously does not have to be told anew about the importance of handling the media in modern cricket, but it is nonetheless inexplicable the way the Bangladesh Test skipper has been avoiding the media ever since the ICC World Twenty20.

Whispers have been doing the rounds that Mushfiqur still believes that the media played a major role in him losing the ODI captaincy in late 2014, but he has talked to the media on and off for a while after that. Another assumption is that he could not stomach the criticism of his irresponsible shot which dented Bangladesh's chances of a terrific win against India in the World T20.

But in reality was there any such criticism? A batsman of his stature playing a suicidal shot with victory all but in the pocket, and which allowed India to snatch a win from the jaws of defeat, would have engendered huge criticism in any other cricketing culture.

Mushfiqur is one of the finest batsmen the country has ever produced but his captaincy has come under scrutiny several times from different quarters.  Even though Mohammedan won the match yesterday quite comfortably many had raised questions about his captaincy. Abahani might not have even crossed the 150-mark had he not continued with his premeditated strategy, such as using a right-arm off-spinner when left-handers are batting.

Whatever the perceived slight, it is unbefitting of a Test captain to withdraw into a shell in the face of the slightest criticism. It must also be asked whether someone apparently so thin-skinned can be a leader of any team at any level. There is also concern in cricketing circles about whether this siege mentality is preventing his immense potential with the bat, which for Bangladesh would be a major loss.