Enamul relishing challenge
****** Staff
17 May, 2007
Apart from the mighty Indian team, Bangladesh face the hot and humid conditions in Chittagong, attack of the seasonal flu and a 13-month long gap between playing two Tests as the first Test begins on Friday.
Dubbed only as Test player, Enamul Haque is now relishing his return to international cricket after more than one year.
“I feel like I am going to make my international debut,” was the smiling response of the left-arm spinner on the eve of the first Test.
The 20-year old, who hails from Sylhet, has played ten Tests with 32 scalps but he has yet to bowl against the much-vaunted Indian batting line-up.
“I’m excited and honestly speaking, a little nervous as for the first time in my career I am going to face players like Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and of course Rahul Dravid, all great players against slow bowling. But I am also looking forward to take the challenge,” said delighted Enamul.
Enamul's bowling is considered effective in the longer-version because of his variation in flight but he has some other weapons to outwit batsmen.
“I am trying to develop a delivery for a long time which will be difficult for the left-handed batsman. I used it during Bangladesh A team's recent tour in Sri Lanka but I’m not sure whether I will use it during this series because I am still trying to make it natural in my bowling,” he disclosed.
He was also confident on his arm-ball, as he believes that it is completely different from the other left-arm spinners.
“I can still remember the dismissal of Michael Clarke in my last Test match at Fatullah last year. The batsman expected a straight armer but it took a little bit of turn which is my speciality and I tried hard for last one year to perfect it,” said Enamul, who keeps tracks of his bowling on a laptop.
Enamul was however quite aware of the tough task ahead as he has to lend perfect support to his aging but effective left-arm spin partner Mohammad Rafique.
“There is an advantage for me as I have played a number of four-day matches over the last one year which is not the case for many in the side. But it would be difficult to bowl in this kind of wicket for first two days. I definitely want my team to win the toss and decide to bat first in this kind of surface,” he said.
During his absence for the last one year Bangladesh team changed a lot following their one-day success and Enamul admitted that he found a new team from he had left after playing the first Test against Australia in April last year.
“It’s a different team because everybody is confident. I know it will be a difficult task to do something in the Test series against India but I got the impression from the team that they have the self-confidence,” he added.
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