I am a sweat and blood cricketer: Rajin

[Sham]

From the New Age:

I am a sweat and blood cricketer: Rajin

AZAD MAJUMDER and MEHEDI HASSAN

Rajin Saleh came good in the Pakistan series. He has been slated as the new find for Bangladesh. Tough, resilient, and in possession of a technique rarely seen among Bangladeshi batsman, Rajin has aroused the praise, respect and curiosity of numerous fans. In a special interview he spoke to New Age on life before and after the tour that changed his career.
New Age: You kept your promise in the Pakistan tour. Do you have any specific target for the home series against England?
Rajin Saleh: I like to play for myself and thereby contribute to the team. I believe playing for myself and playing for the team go hand in hand. That’s the way I tried to apply myself in Pakistan and I would like to continue in the upcoming series also.
I know after playing some good cricket in Pakistan the expectations are high. I hope to be able to fulfil the expectations.
NA: Do you feel any extra pressure in this regard?
RS: Not really. I think the expectation is a kind of inspiration for me. I will now try to play for myself, for my team as well as for my family. My target is basically to maintain stability in the performance. I don’t like to get a century and than get out for five or six.
NA: Have you studied the bowlers of the England team, you are going to face?
RS: No, I am yet to make any study. However I have seen them playing cricket on television and I got some clues about their bowling. I am confident enough to face them.
NA: You had been used as an irregular bowler in the Pakistan tour. Did it seem like an extra burden to you?
RS: I always enjoy my bowling. And I never thought that bowling could create problems concentrating on the batting.
NA: The Bangladesh team is currently facing a problem with the openers especially in the one-day matches. If the team decides to send you in up the order as an opener, would you be as confident?
RS: I am ready to bat at any position for the sake of the team. Although my favourite position is number four.
NA: What type of support are you getting from the senior team mates?
RS: Oh! It’s really great. I must mention my captain Khaled Mahmud. He helped me a lot on the Pakistan tour. Sujan (Mahmud) Bhai is still encouraging me in many ways. Then there are Habibul Bashar and Javed Omar. These two senior batsmen are helping me a lot after being included in the national team. All of us used to discuss many things in the dressing room.
NA: You have never been slated as a cricketing talent. Do you think, not having to do with such attention helped you mature?
R.S: I never believe in the concept of talent. I am a ‘sweat and blood’ cricketer and that helped me make a return to the team after being dropped after the inaugural Test. I promised myself to become a Test player first and then be a one-day player. Accordingly, my dream was fulfilled in Pakistan with my Test debut coming earlier than the one-day debut.
N.A: You are referred to as the Jonty Rhodes of Bangladesh. What do you have to say to that?
R.S: I am really not concerned what one has to say about me, but, yes, I am an ardent follower of Rhodes, arguably the greatest fielder in the world.
I picked up a knack for fielding in the point and square leg region from him. I am not very fond of slip fielding owing to my rather unblessed height (he adds cheekily).
N.A: During the fifth one-day international against Pakistan, the viewers on television were witness to an altercation between you and Mohammad Sami. What really happened?
R.S: I had hit Sami for two consecutive fours after which he had hurled abuses at me, saying things I could not even utter. In the next ball I hit him for another boundary, walked up to him, and told him to run to the boundary and collect the ball.
N.A: Which version of the game do you enjoy more, one-day or Test matches?
R.S: Definitely Test cricket. The close-in fielding ensures that once the ball is out of reach of the fielders, it is a guaranteed boundary. Test innings always gets more fun once you settle in and can hit the ball over the fielders.
N.A: How would you like to end your career? Any targets?
R.S: With an average of 40 in both forms of the game.

[Edited on 8-10-2003 by Sham]

[Nascer]

[Edited on 6-11-2004 by Nascer]

[chinaman]

I had hit Sami for two consecutive fours after which he had hurled abuses at me, saying things I could not even utter. In the next ball I hit him for another boundary, walked up to him, and told him to run to the boundary and collect the ball.

Son of a gun.

[Ehsan]

R.S: I had hit Sami for two consecutive fours after which he had hurled abuses at me, saying things I could not even utter. In the next ball I hit him for another boundary, walked up to him, and told him to run to the boundary and collect the ball.

Most Pakistanis are always disgusting when the language is concerned specially during the games. You can never be a gentle man in that way and they say cricket is a gentleman's game, Ironic.

[oracle]

Good news is that he likes to settle down. So I guess no. 4 slot is reserved for him. We might be approaching the day when we can get the player order resolved instead of the merry go round which has usually been the case.

[Nasif]

In the next ball I hit him for another boundary, walked up to him, and told him to run to the boundary and collect the ball.

This made my day today! Rajin u da man

[fab]

how tall is rajin anyway?

[Sham]

But he is very short. Rajin and Ashraful are around the same height.

This was a good interview by Rajin. He has his priorities all sorted out.