'Definitely a legend of the game': Simmons heaps lavish praise on Mushfiqur

Phil Simmons, head coach of the Bangladesh cricket team, appeared before the media at the official press conference in Mirpur on Tuesday, ahead of the second Test against Ireland starting on Wednesday. The former West Indies all-rounder, however, had to mostly speak about the impending 100th Test for Mushfiqur Rahim, who is going to be the first Bangladeshi player to achieve this landmark. Following are the excerpts from the media session.

Q. Coach, a huge occasion for Bangladesh. Mushfiqur Rahim is playing his 100th Test match. You have seen legends in the West Indies team, you played with legends and coach, you played with players who possibly played 100 Test matches. What sort of an occasion is it and being Bangladesh's first, how do you react to it?

A. Well, I think first of all, we have to acknowledge his professionalism and his longevity and just his desire to play cricket for Bangladesh. Because to get 100 Test matches, Bangladesh doesn't play 15 a year, so it's taken him a period of time and we must appreciate that. And I think, from working with him for the short time, the professionalism is extremely high, and I will be so happy for him tomorrow when that occasion comes.

Q. From your personal experience, you have seen other experienced players who have lasted for 20 years. What do you think the secret is?

A. I think his secret is professionalism. It's how you carry yourself, how you work at improving your game, and how you work at being successful at international level. Because when you look back, he has been successful at international level and that keeps him there. But there is also a desire in him and all the others who play 100 and 150 Test matches to continue to do well. So, I think that's the big thing we have to look at: the desire to continue to improve, to continue to get better, and perform at that level.

Q. Someone like Mushfiqur is still playing at 38 years. What will be your message to the other boys? He's still doing his job, day in, day out. So what will be your message to the other boys, especially the younger ones?

A. I think the message from him, and me looking at him, is the professional side. How he carries himself, how he trains, but also how he wants to try and get better. And at this level, you cannot be stagnant, you have to always try and get better because the cricketing world is very small now with technology. So people are assessing you all the time, so you have to always try and evolve. So he has evolved many times, I'm sure since he started.

Q. Have you had you have any conversation with Mushfiq about his future, how long he will continue in Test cricket?

A. No, when I came for the Test match against South Africa, I just told Mushy, "At this time, you need to be enjoying what you're doing, and you go out there and enjoy every day, every Test match because you determine, once you're performing, you determine how long you want to play, because performance is necessary." So once he's performing, his professionalism will carry him until he's ready to say no.

Mushfiqur Rahim in training on Tuesday, ahead of his 100th Test. Photo: Firoz Ahmed

Q. Earlier, Bangladesh used to play two or three Test matches in a year. But now, 100 Test matches have gone, he's playing his 100th Test. In your eyes, who are the other players in Bangladesh who can continue to play and become the second or third to play 100 Tests from Bangladesh?

A. Anybody, because as you say, now it's like next year I think we have something like 12 Test matches, so you never had that before. So if you are playing and you're evolving and consistently performing, then you will get to 100 a lot quicker than he has. Right? You won't take 20 years anymore because there are more Test matches in a year. So anybody who is prepared to evolve and make sure that they improve and consistently perform at this level will get there.

Q. What type of wicket are you expecting tomorrow, and will the pacers be your key players in this match?

A. Look, the wicket, it looks different to West Indies ODI wickets. The wicket looks fairly good. Um, tomorrow morning when we come, we can't show they're going to do some more rolling today and thing. Tomorrow morning when we come, we will see how it is, but it looks good and it looks like it could be good for batting at least first two, maybe two and a half days. So that's all you ask for in a Test match wicket, to be good enough and third and fourth day, we see what happens.

Q. When you first saw Mushfiqur Rahim, what was your first impression? And after playing 100 Test matches and do you consider him as a legend of the game? I mean, he scored two centuries, three double centuries. Do you consider him as a legend?

A. He is definitely a legend of the game. I think there's not many players who scored the amount of doubles he's scored in Test cricket and, and he's performed over a number of years, as you say, what, 20 years? So he must be a legend because that longevity puts him in that category.

Q. We had Hasan Murad making his debut in the last game and of course, (Mahmudul Hasan) Joy coming back with a 171. How do you see their development, especially Joy, who didn't have a great time before getting dropped? So what was your impression about their performance?

A. I think the first thing you have to commend him on going back and after being left out, going back and working on his game and coming back and performing like that. And I just hope that he doesn't sit back and think that that's it, he needs to continue performing, continue improving. It's good to see Murad get his debut. He bowled really well for a debutant, and hopefully, if he's selected for tomorrow, then he continues to improve and continues to do what he was doing.

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Q. In Bangladesh condition or in terms of Bangladesh, many cricketers above 35 or 36, there is lot of talk about their status, but Mushfiq is doing well, or he's doing his job. So what is your thinking? In terms of not technic, in your realisation, how long he can play?

A. I think if you have to count, you count a couple of things. You count first of all, fitness, and right now Mushy is maybe one of the fittest in the team. And you count performance, and he keeps performing. So he just had a hundred in Sri Lanka three Test matches ago. So he keeps performing, so that's the two criteria. As long as you, I should say three: as long as you keep performing, your fitness, and then your desire to continue. So I think he has all three of them right now, so that that fact will be determined by him.

Q. After this series, Mahammad Salahuddin is set to step down from his role. How was your experience of working with him throughout the journey?

A. First of all, I don't know about the first part of that. But if you say so, he's been excellent. He's been doing what I expect him to do as a batting coach and continues to give everything, to the players especially. So I don't know about your first statement, but if you know that, then that's there, but he's been excellent since he's been here.

Q. You talk about Mushfiq's longevity in 20 years in Test cricket. How does he inspire the other team members, in the basic game, especially, are the players are comfortable to talk with him and gather knowledge from him? How does he inspire the other team members?

A. There's tremendous respect for him, and I think because of how he is, all the players listen to him, and he shares a lot. So, I think that's the important thing. If he wants to share, he continues to share. The players are there and they listen to him, you can see players talking to him regularly, especially about batting at this level. So he has a lot to give and the players are happy to be around him and respect him enough to listen to what he says.

Q. Bangladesh played good cricket against Ireland, and tomorrow is another game. And after this series, there's a month they will not play any Test match. So, how tough it is to carry on the performance of Test cricket, carry on the performance in Test cricket, basically development?

A. I think in Test cricket, you have to play. As I said, the good thing I'm hearing and seeing fixtures for next year, there's about 10 or 12 Test matches next year, which would be excellent for this group because there's a lot of young players who are developing in Test cricket. So that would be great. But as you say, after this Test match, there's a few months, there's still four-day cricket to be played and then, um, a lot of work to be done leading up to the first Test match next year.

Q. We know in the team, do you prefer three different captains for three formats, and do you have any suggestion for the board to manage all the captains?

A. I'll answer one part of the question. I have no problem with managing the captains. I can't answer the other parts.