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'I've seen people compare me to Bradman when I score a century': Bangladesh batter Mushfiqur Rahim
Mushfiqur Rahim once again made no attempts to hide his feelings after becoming the first Bangladesh cricketer to reach 5000 Test runs in the ongoing first Test against Sri Lanka. He said people in Bangladesh at times 'compare him to Don Bradman' when he scores runs but he doesn't, things get bad.
Mushfiqur Rahim's outrageous celebrations are as famous his many match-winning knocks for Bangladesh. The veteran right-handed batter, known for speaking his heart out, once again made no attempts to hide his feelings after becoming the first Bangladesh cricketer to reach 5000 Test runs in the ongoing first Test against Sri Lanka. Mushfiqur said people in Bangladesh at times 'compare him to Don Bradman' when he scores runs but he doesn't, things get bad.
"Only in Bangladesh, I have seen that people compare me to Bradman when I score a century, but then when I don't score runs, I feel like digging a hole for myself. I am one of the senior players so we are not going to be around for long. But this is becoming a culture, so the younger players need the support. If I have to spend so much time tackling these things off the field, our on-field duties get affected," Mushfiqur said on Wednesday.
Mushfiqur hit a patient 105, his 8th in Test cricket to give Bangladesh the advantage. This was the right-hander's firs three-figure score in the longest format in two years.
Mushfiqur got to the landmark 5000 runs with a couple to fine leg off pace bowler Asitha Fernando.
"It is a great feeling to become the first Bangladeshi to reach 5,000 Test runs. But I am sure I am not the last one. There'll be a lot of capable players among our seniors and juniors who can reach 8,000 or 10,000 runs," he said.
"My goal (in my debut Test) was to play the second Test (laughs). I didn't do well in my first Test. Being a 'keeper-batsman, I always gave priority to Tests. You are judged by how many big hundreds you get in the format. I always wanted to play Tests for a long time so that I can make big achievements as an individual and a team. There's no limit to success, but I am very happy with my achievement."
Mushfiqur helped Bangladesh pass Sri Lanka's total and reached his century off 270 balls, glancing Asitha Fernando for a fourth boundary through fine leg. It was Mushfiqur's slowest century in terms of balls faced.
When asked about the competition with Tamil Iqbal, who too scored a sparkling century, Mushfiqur said he would happy if the left-hander breaks his record.
"He (Tamim) knows all these things (records) and he was close. He told me, I couldn't get there, you did. He congratulated me. I always think that it is a better feeling what your brother, teammate or friend achieves. Records are meant to be broken. I was so happy when Tamim broke my highest individual score. He told me then that within next two or three years, I will end up breaking his record again. It is a healthy competition, and this is how it should be. We as teammates help each other."
