Mehidy Hasan Miraz Eyes Higher Batting Role

Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s exceptional contributions as a number eight batsman in the recent Test series against Pakistan, along with his past performances, have established him as one of the top lower-order batters in Test cricket. Since his debut in October 2016, Mehidy has accumulated 1041 runs in that position, sharing the top spot with Jason Holder. However, the 26-year-old has set his sights on climbing higher in the batting order.

In the first Test against Pakistan, Mehidy played a vital knock of 77, forming a record 196-run partnership with Mushfiqur Rahim for the seventh wicket to give Bangladesh a crucial first-innings lead. In the second Test, he joined forces with Litton Das to add 165 runs after Bangladesh had collapsed to 26 for 6.

Speaking to reporters at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Mehidy shared his aspirations: "I don’t aim to be the best number eight. Batting at that position brings a lot of pressure—sometimes the top order performs well, but other times I come in under difficult circumstances. My goal is not to be the best at number eight but rather to excel higher up the order."

Mehidy also expressed his desire to become "the best all-rounder," acknowledging that his role will gain more significance once fellow all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan retires. 

“Having two all-rounders in a team is a big advantage,” Mehidy explained. “Earlier, I was primarily seen as a bowler, but now my contributions with the bat are increasing, and that feels great. It takes consistent effort over time to reach this level, and if I maintain my current form, I believe I can eventually become the best all-rounder.”

Mehidy stated the importance of the all-rounder role in balancing a team and noted that when Shakib retires, his own responsibilities will grow. “Every cricketer retires at some point, and most teams plan for replacements. When Shakib Bhai retires, I think my role will become even more crucial.”

Looking ahead to Bangladesh’s upcoming two-match Test series against India, Mehidy expressed confidence after the team’s success against Pakistan. The series is scheduled to begin on September 19 in Chennai.

"India is a very strong team with great batsmen and bowlers," he said. "We’ve played in India before and are familiar with the conditions. The wickets are usually good there. If we continue playing like we have and focus on our performance rather than the results, good outcomes will follow naturally."

Mehidy acknowledged the challenges of playing in India but stressed the importance of maintaining a positive mindset. “Our past performances in India weren’t great, but we’re going in with confidence this time. We’ll focus on enjoying the conditions and giving our best effort. After our victory against Pakistan, the team is in a strong mental space.”