‘Bangladesh need explosive hitters’: Badree

Two-time T20 world champion Samuel Badree believes Bangladesh's recent rise in shortest format stems from their improved bowling depth and the emergence of Rishad Hossain, but the former Trinidadian leg-spinner feels the Tigers still lack the finishing power to challenge the world's best. In a wide-ranging interview with The Daily Star's Samsul Arefin Khan, Badree reflects on Bangladesh's progress, the West Indies' ongoing struggles against spin, and what both teams must address ahead of next year's ICC T20 World Cup. The 44-year-old, who previously visited Bangladesh as a player for the West Indies and in the Bangladesh Premier League, is now relishing his new role as a commentator in the ongoing white-ball series between the two sides. The excerpts of the conversation are as follows:

The Daily Star (DS): How are you enjoying your stint as a commentator in Bangladesh?

Samuel Badree (SB): Yes, it's the first time I've come in this capacity as a commentator. I've been here before as a player. I'm quite enjoying it. I sort of enjoyed the cricket that I saw in the one-day international series and then the start of the T20 international series.

DS: As a leg-spinner yourself, who was quite successful in the T20 format, how do you rate Rishad Hossain as a prospect in the shortest format?

SB: Yeah, I saw him in the T20 World Cup in the West Indies last year. I saw him in that series against the West Indies in the West Indies last year, and I saw him here as well, and he continues to show tremendous growth and improvement. He has wonderful control. I think that is his great strength. He's not a big turner of the ball. He doesn't have massive variations, but what he does have is that control, a high release point, and he challenges the stumps more often than not. So, I think if he could add a little variation to his game, maybe bowl the googly with a little bit more regularity, a little more, I suppose, confidence for him to do that, he would become an even greater bowler. But certainly, what he's done in his career so far has been amazing. I know Bangladesh hasn't had quality wrist-spinners in the past, and a lot of the top teams in the world rely on wrist-spinners. So, he's been a tremendous performer for Bangladesh, and long may that continue for him and for them.

DS: Bangladesh are enjoying their best-ever run in the format, having won four series on the trot before this series. As a neutral observer, do you feel Bangladesh have done enough to be considered a threat in the upcoming World Cup?

SB: As you so rightly mentioned, they've been doing really well in this format in the recent past. They beat the West Indies 3-0 back at home late last year, and then they came into this series on the back of a 3-0 win against Afghanistan. That T20 World Cup will be hosted in Sri Lanka and India -- so familiar conditions for them -- and I think that they will present a challenge for some of the higher-ranked teams. Whether or not they have what it takes to go all the way remains to be seen, but certainly, I think they can cause a few upsets given the way that they've been playing, their familiarity with the conditions, and their recent performances.

Some of the younger players now understand their roles and responsibilities a little bit more. They have a wonderful bowling group. Mustafizur has been an exceptional performer for a long time, and Rishad as well, as we mentioned before. So, the bowling group always looks good.

DS: The West Indies are arguably going through their worst-ever period in T20s, having lost seven of their last eight series in the format. What do you think has gone wrong, and what could be the remedy?

SB: Yeah, they've only won three T20 matches out of 15 [this year before coming to Bangladesh]. So, it's been a horrendous little run for them, and they've struggled in conditions that are slow and spinning. So, last against Bangladesh in St Vincent, it was spinning, it was slow. They struggled against Sri Lanka as well. Last year they lost that series 2-1 in spinning conditions. This series presents an opportunity for them to show growth in that area and also to give them confidence as they head into the T20 World Cup -- that they can perform against Bangladesh at home in these conditions.

One of their downfalls is that they haven't particularly played spin well. They have not rotated strike well. They've been bowled out on a number of occasions. They play a high-risk sort of game where they either go for six or a dot ball, and if they don't get the six, then they struggle to get a competitive total. There needs to be a sort of rejig in their batting approach, where they can get a greater balance between boundaries and scoring opportunities, whether it be ones, twos, or threes.

Also, from a bowling standpoint, they have to find out who their death-over bowlers are. That's an area where they've struggled in the past. They've been quite expensive in the last phase of the innings because they're still trying to find someone who could be reliable. They need guys who can bowl those slower deliveries and bowl those Yorkers -- very vital in the last phase of the innings -- such as potentially Ramon Simmonds or Obed McCoy, if they can make a return. If they can figure that out and get a little bit more balance in the batting, they can return to being competitive in this format.

DS: The last time the T20 World Cup took place in India, the West Indies won it. Do you think the Caribbean side have the pedigree to challenge for the trophy?

SB: Yeah, ten years is a long time. A lot of players have since retired. It's a different-looking West Indies team. Their performances in recent World Cups have been quite underwhelming, so I wouldn't be delusional to think that they are going to be favourites or anything like that going into the World Cup. Although the last World Cup that was played there, the West Indies won, a lot of things have changed since then. They need to solidify what their road map is -- what their blueprint is for success -- and they have quite a few games between now and then to solidify their plans, to give players clear roles and responsibilities. So, I think that they can do well. They can challenge the best teams in the world, but they need to fix a few things -- and fix them quickly.

DS: What's your plan going forward? Do you want to be a full-time commentator, or go back into coaching like you did with the West Indies previously?

SB: Yeah, it's a question that I've been asked quite a few times. I like both. I enjoy doing commentary -- it gives you a different perspective, and you see the game from a different lens. There's less pressure from a performance standpoint. But I also enjoy coaching, where you can have a more direct impact on the game. You can have a more direct influence on players, particularly young players. So, I enjoy both. There isn't a huge preference one way or the other. Whenever I'm called upon to do coaching, I'll do that. Whenever I'm called upon to do commentary, I'll do that -- and I enjoy both fully.