Mushtaq Ahmed suggests more variations to Rishad's repertoire

Bangladesh spin bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed believes that the country's premier leg-spinner Rishad Hossain needs to master the flipper, top-spin and slider to be more effective having already developed his leg spin and googlies coupled with his allround abilities.

Mushtaq concluded a two-day bowling camp at the indoor facilities of the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur with 12 promising spinners to help them grow. "Rishad is doing really well and taking plenty of wickets for Bangladesh. Now everyone wants to be like him - in batting, bowling, and fielding," Mushtaq told reporters following the camp.

"He (Rishad) has already mastered the leg break and googly, and the next step in his development is to perfect the flipper, top spinner, and slider," he said.

"He is learning the googly and you know, googly itself is a good art. So, he is learning googly, leg break and also flipper. So those are the things which are very important. But for Rishad, it is very important to have the basics right. When your basics and process is right, he can bowl all five, six balls," he said adding that Rishad also needs to know how to spin the ball as that is the prerequisite to succeed at international level.

"If the spinners get lots of spin from the pitches, they don't remember the process and the basics. We as coaches are working really hard. Why we have to remember the process on good pitches? If you play on good pitches internationally, you don't get spin pitches there. So, you have to spin the ball," he said.

Mushtaq, who had a similar camp last year, expressed optimism about the country's spin-bowling stocks while adding that Bangladesh's growing pool of spinners must focus on technical discipline to succeed at the top level.

"The future of spin bowling here is very promising but we need to protect these youngsters and ensure their basics and processes are solid," he said.

"Here in this camp, last year also, myself and all the coaches, local coaches, we are working on the basics. So, if they can make the basics strong now, they can play wherever they want and they will be successful," he said.

"So, I think the motivation itself, confidence and everything, it comes with the process and basics. On good pitches, where there's not much turn, you must rely on your skills - and that only comes through a strong foundation."