print icon
Match Analysis

Aggressive Jubair deserves long-term investment

Leaking 113 runs in 19 overs in spin-friendly conditions will be frowned upon by many in Bangladesh, but the two wickets suggested that he is going to attack the batsman despite being attacked

On a day like today, he could have been waiting for play to start in Bogra or even watching the rain at the National Cricket Academy in Dhaka. Instead Jubair Hossain made another case for himself between the rain breaks on the third day in Fatullah. The two googlies that removed India captain Virat Kohli and Wriddhiman Saha were examples of his control over this delivery.
But it wasn't just his two wickets or the impression he created as an attacking bowler. One has to focus on the backdrop of the 20-year old's selection into the Bangladesh Test squad against India. He hadn't been picked in the XI for the two Tests against Pakistan and was even overlooked in Central and East Zone teams in the Bangladesh Cricket League first-class competition.
This was in fact his first international since the ODI series against Zimbabwe late last year. Since then he has played five first-class matches, a side game against the touring Pakistanis, and followed news of the Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusingha tussling with the national selectors over his selection.
Jubair also had to deal with local coaches ignoring him for being a risky option. All this rattled Jubair who was just looking for opportunities to play.
When chief selector Faruque Ahmed announced the 14-man squad for the Test against India, he said that the team management had a plan for Jubair. Leaking 113 runs in 19 overs in spin-friendly conditions will be frowned upon by many in Bangladesh, but the two wickets suggested that he is going to attack the batsman despite being attacked.
He began the day by bowling a maiden to Kohli, but soon a long-hop was duly put away. The next eight deliveries, he kept Kohli interested. A fine cover-drive from Kohli would have stopped any other Bangladeshi spinner to stop looping the ball repeatedly, but Jubair was soon rewarded for his gall. Kohli was a touch early on his shot as a googly spun back at him, hit his boot and rolled on to the stumps.
He bowled Saha with a googly, too, this one turning a bit more, beating the batsman's defence. It was a loose shot, but Saha was sucked into it by Jubair's flight.
Jubair's bowling got a strong backing from Shakib Al Hasan, who said that the legspinner did well considering the lack of matches he had leading up to the Test.
"It is difficult for Jubair," Shakib said. "I am not sure if he played any match at all after playing the Test series against Zimbabwe. If he doesn't get a chance to play in the Bangladesh Cricket League and the Dhaka Premier League it will be bad for both him and the national team. So I feel that those who are watching and observing these issues, they need to seriously observe these things and find out a way for him to play matches on a regular basis.
"I believe he can be someone who can take 300 to 400 wickets for our country. And the way he bowled, I believe that he could have taken more wickets had he bowled in the right areas more often. But because he didn't play many matches, it became difficult for him. It is always difficult for a legspinner to bowl in the right areas. In addition if he doesn't get to play often and then has to come and bowl against such a powerful opponent. It is bound to be difficult."
Shakib saw Jubair troubling the India batsmen in patches but when asked if the team and senior players would be patient with him, he shot back saying he wondered whether the fans and media would be patient with him.
"The fact that he has managed to bowl some of the deliveries in the right areas, I think that in itself is positive," he said. "The deliveries that fell in the right areas troubled the Indian batsmen and he is turning the ball as well. At the same time his googly is going quite well.
"Many batsmen haven't been able to pick it. He can be a very big asset for Bangladesh's Test cricket. We have patience but we don't know how patient you are or how patient the people of Bangladesh will be with Jubair."
Shakib further supported the case for giving Jubair more matches by saying that judging his bowling on the basis of his performance in the nets was not the right process.
"If you see the batting in nets, many will seem like Sachin Tendulkar and many will seem like Rubel Hossain," he said. "So there is a difference. The biggest deal is who performs in the match. You are not giving him a chance. You are only predicting something about him and then making up your mind.
"The one who thinks like that has a very wrong concept. I think at least he should be given enough chance, yes even after that if he can't do well because I think that we will be playing in this country for most of the time, and we have to take wickets on pitches like this. I think I haven't seen a better bowler than (Jubair Hossain) Likhon till date."
Jubair still needs a bit of work in his bowling. He conceded nine fours and a six through the leg-side, and many of them were long-hops. The consistency has to be incorporated into his skillset.
When Mushtaq Ahmed, the Pakistan spin bowling coach, spoke to him last month, Jubair took notes and every day before he goes out to bowl in the nets, he tries to read through them: don't worry about the runs, keep attacking, be aggressive and bowl in one spot. Jubair didn't get many of those things right, but that advice is going to hold him in good stead.

Mohammad Isam is ESPNcricinfo's Bangladesh correspondent. @isam84