Mushtaq Ahmed on Rishad Hossain: Keys to Unlocking His Potential

Young Bangladesh leg-spinner Rishad Hossain has struggled to maintain consistent line and length since the start of the Asia Cup, with his issues particularly evident against Sri Lanka. Although he has already reached the milestone of 50 T20 wickets, a clear lack of rhythm has been noticeable in recent outings.

However, Bangladesh spin coach Mushtaq Ahmed is not overly concerned. He believes Rishad can quickly regain his rhythm if he patiently follows a structured process.

According to Mushtaq, one key factor affecting Rishad’s bowling is his inexperience with red-ball cricket and the fact that he hasn’t yet played Test matches.

Speaking to the media ahead of the match against Afghanistan, Mushtaq explained:

“As a young leg-spinner, Rishad sometimes makes small errors. Often, he tries to do too much in his first over and ends up losing his line and length. I think when the start isn’t good, the rest of his spell becomes harder. I told him the first three balls are crucial. If he hits the right areas early, it boosts his confidence and helps him try different variations later on. He’ll learn to understand situations and know which deliveries to bowl more often.”

Mushtaq further added:

“I don’t see any major issues in his bowling. We just have to remember that spin bowling is a process. A spinner must stick to his process—adjusting to conditions, situations, and batters. A good delivery is good on any pitch against any batter. Deliver good balls, build good overs, and confidence will follow. Rishad is still not used to red-ball cricket and hasn’t played Tests yet. So I tell him to focus on the process in the nets and not worry too much about results.”

Many share Mushtaq’s optimism about the young spinner’s future. The coach believes that with patience and consistent hard work, Rishad Hossain can reach new heights in the coming years.