'I actually preferred Trav-ball over Bazball’

For any ’90s cricket fan, former England pacer Darren Gough remains a figure of pure nostalgia. With a smooth, repeatable action that youngsters loved to imitate, the right-arm quick stood out among his contemporaries -- particularly for his success in the subcontinent and in Australia. Since retiring, Gough has taken on a variety of roles -- commentator, coach, administrator and television personality -- remaining a familiar presence in the game. This year, the 55-year-old is in Bangladesh as part of the commentary panel for the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). In Sylhet on Sunday, Gough spoke to The Daily Star’s Samsul Arefin Khan about Bangladesh’s fast bowlers, Bazball, England’s challenges and his own career. Excerpts of the interview are as follows:

The Daily Star (DS): What is your impression of the current Bangladesh pacers?

Darren Gough (DG): Nahid Rana is the one who really took me by surprise with his pace, and I believe he is an unbelievable talent who can bowl over 150 kph. A bowler with that speed is a huge asset in all three formats if managed well. I have been impressed by Tanzid Hasan Sakib. Mustafizur Rahman remains one of the best T20 bowlers globally due to his variations, and Saifuddin has impressed me too and he can bat as well. The competition for places in the Bangladesh side is very interesting right now.

DS: Have you seen much reverse swing in this tournament?

DG: Not a lot, but Ripon Mondol was clever under pressure and managed some reverse swing during a Super Over, especially against left-handers. Hasan Mahmud is impressive too. Bangladesh are now in a phase similar to where India once were -- building a deep pool of fast bowlers. That makes you competitive anywhere, whether in New Zealand or South Africa.

DS: What is your assessment of England’s recent Ashes performance?

DG: It was very disappointing. There was belief this England team had a real chance. If Australia had all their bowlers fit, the series could easily have been 5-0. England’s batting technique wasn’t good enough on pitches where the ball moved. Only Joe Root, and to some extent Jacob Bethell, showed how sound technique allows you to score runs in Australia.

DS: What do you make of Bazball?

DG: I’m all for positive cricket, but I actually preferred “Trav-ball” -- Travis Head’s style -- over Bazball. Positivity is great, but it must come with intelligence. England will always be judged by how they perform against India and Australia in five-Test series.

DS: You were very successful in the subcontinent. What was the key?

DG: It requires a big heart and variation. I swung the new ball both ways, and when it got old, I used reverse swing. My specific action allowed me to bowl it like a "flying saucer" by lowering my wrist and coming from a sideways angle. That skill got me many wickets in Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

DS: You also enjoyed success in Australia. How did you handle the pressure?

DG: I played eight Tests in Australia and took about 42 [41] wickets, including a couple of five-wicket hauls and a hattrick. My nickname was "Box Office Gough" because the bigger the crowd, the better I performed. If you perform with heart, the Australian public respects you, but if you don't, they will "destroy" you.

DS: Who were the toughest batters you bowled to?

DG: My biggest regret is never playing a Test against India because of injuries. I wanted to bowl to Sachin Tendulkar at my peak. He, along with Brian Lara, Jacques Kallis, Ricky Ponting, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Yousuf, were outstanding. But the hardest to bowl to was Adam Gilchrist -- he could come in at seven and change the game immediately. Lance Klusener was also very tough to bowl against.

DS: Do you consider Joe Root England’s greatest-ever player?

DG: Absolutely. Comparing eras is difficult, but there’s no doubt Joe Root is England’s greatest. Graham Gooch was exceptional, and Kevin Pietersen could have been up there if he hadn’t lost key years of his career, but Root is the best.

DS: What prompted your transition from cricket to reality TV?

DG: People thought I had the right personality for it. I just wanted to test myself in everything. I’ve done the Tour de France, professional wrestling in Mexico, ski jumping, and cooking. I had never danced in my life, but I ended up winning Strictly Come Dancing after 12 weeks of competition.