If I perform, we will win more: Mehidy Hasan Miraz

He was called up to the national team as an all-rounder. However, after a stellar bowling performance in his debut Test series at home against England in 2016, Mehidy Hasan Miraz's identity seemed to shift. From being known as an all-rounder, he primarily gained traction as a bowler on the international stage. The team started to consider him more as a specialist off-spinner. Even Miraz, who had been praised for his batting potential in age-group cricket, began to believe that narrative.

But over time, his mindset shifted, and he began working on improving his batting. His performances now speak for themselves, having rescued Bangladesh in several matches with the bat in recent years and turning the course of the game. The most recent example was the Pakistan tour, where Miraz's all-round performances led Bangladesh to a historic Test series victory, earning him the Player of the Series accolade. 

His strength remains his bowling, with 10 wickets in the series—the highest of the series. But he also played a crucial knock in the second Test's first innings, when Bangladesh were in deep trouble, forming a record-breaking partnership with Litton Das. In the two innings he batted across the two Tests, Miraz scored 155 runs, including two half-centuries, at an impressive average of 77.50. He now approaches his batting with greater confidence, trusting himself more than ever before.

After returning home following the memorable Test series victory, the Bangladesh all-rounder spoke with The Business Standard about the joy of winning the series, his role as an all-rounder, his evolving batting potential, his role in the team, and much more.

How was the tour overall, and how does it feel after such a series victory?

The whole tour was fantastic. We had never won a series in Pakistan before. In fact, we hadn't even won a match there previously. Everyone on the team played well throughout the tour. The biggest thing was that there was consistency in our performances. Everyone had the mentality to come back strong and fight. The way we played in this series was a big deal. If we hadn't played good cricket for those nine consecutive days, we wouldn't have won.

Bangladesh's previous Test record against Pakistan was 12 losses and one draw in 13 matches. How was this result possible against such a team?

I think our preparation was excellent. We were well-prepared for this series. The five months of preparation we did for Tests paid off. Particularly, the Tigers' camp provided us with great facilities and intense training, and the coaching staff was dedicated and driven. All of this culminated in this series win. Tests are a format where you can't perform well unless you're well-prepared, and our preparations served us very well.

Pakistan is a good team and was playing at home, yet they struggled to compete against Bangladesh. What gave Bangladesh the edge?

If you compare the two teams, we played better cricket than Pakistan in all departments. We were far ahead of them in both batting and bowling. Our pace bowlers did a fantastic job, and our spinners were also excellent. When it comes to batting, several of our players put in solid performances. Our collective efforts made it easier to win. In team sports, you have to win as a team, and we achieved that. We won the first match by a significant margin, with key partnerships in that match. Our pacers bowled exceptionally well in their conditions. In short, it was everyone's contributions that led to our victory. That, in my view, is the main and only reason we won the series.

You were the Player of the Series in Bangladesh's historic series win. How does it feel to contribute with both bat and ball and be named Player of the Series?

Yes, of course. This is something that people will remember for the rest of their lives—that I played well and was named Player of the Series in Pakistan's home conditions. Since this series win is so special to us, being named Player of the Series makes it even more special for me. It will always be a memorable achievement in my career.

Before every tour or series, there are team plans, but individual players also have their personal goals or plans. How much of your plan were you able to execute on this tour?

The goal is always to improve my skills, and I worked on that before this series as well. But honestly, the only plan I had was to contribute to the team's success. If you contribute to the team, it means you're performing well. Before going to Pakistan, I had a plan, and I tried to follow through with it, which I think I managed to do to a great extent. As I mentioned earlier, the preparation we did back home was beneficial for all of us. We were able to implement our plans, and that's why the series went well.

You've taken responsibility with the bat in some tough matches and helped win games that seemed lost. You didn't do that before, but now you can. What has changed?

The way I see it, if I perform, there's a greater chance of winning most matches. Because the role I play [in the batting order] is such that my performance has a significant impact on the team's chances of winning. I try to play for the team. I believe my role is very important for the team, and if I don't play well, the team will suffer. You could say it's due to experience. The more I play, the more I learn. Day by day, the more I play, the more experience I gain, and the better I understand myself. These experiences help me, boost my confidence, and allow me to trust myself more with Allah's blessings.

After the Pakistan series, you've moved up three spots in the all-rounder rankings. How do you see yourself in this role?

I don't want to say anything too specific. But since I consider myself an all-rounder, I want to perform for the team with both bat and ball. If I can do that, I will not only contribute to the team but also establish myself further as an all-rounder. There will be bigger opportunities ahead if I can consistently perform with both bat and ball. However, I still have a lot of work to do to improve my batting. If I can improve my batting further, I can make more progress as an all-rounder.

From the start of your international career, you've had success with the ball, but the batting potential that was seen in you during age-group cricket wasn't realized at first. How did you work on improving that aspect of your game?

I've tried to understand the importance of batting. I've tried to work on my skills in that area. I've identified where I need to improve and have worked on those areas. I've always tried to improve my batting, and I've always worked under the guidance of local coaches. Coach Sohel Islam and coach Mizanur Rahman Babul have worked with me on my batting. Sohel Sir has also worked with me on my bowling. Besides them, I also talk with Mushfiqur [Rahim] bhai, seeking advice from him. All of this has contributed to my improvement in batting.

Your batting in the first innings of the second Test showed resilience. Do you feel more confident as a batsman now compared to before?

Yes, I do feel more confident as a batsman now. I believe that when I go to the crease, I can stay there and build an innings. Now, I can go to the crease with confidence, knowing that I'll play in a certain way. I have a plan, and I try to execute that plan. I used to think like this before too, but I wasn't able to implement it as much. Now, I try to improve in my specific areas, and some of the success I've had in matches has helped build my confidence.

Would you be satisfied with your batting if you were placed higher in the batting order, or where do you see yourself as a batsman?

Improvement comes in stages, and there's no end to it. I need to establish myself further as a batsman. I'm working towards that, and I need to maintain my current efforts. Through improvement, I want to continue moving to the next level. I want to establish myself as a batsman on the world stage. I'm still quite far from that, and I have a lot of work to do. To dominate at the global level, I need to play well consistently for 5–7 years. It can't be achieved by just performing well for a year or two.

Bangladesh has traditionally been a spin-dependent team, often relying more on spin. This time, the pace bowlers took 10 wickets in an innings for the first time and contributed significantly at other times too. As a spinner, does this bring comfort or ease to your role?

Yes, it certainly brings comfort and ease. When the pace bowlers do well, it makes the job easier for the spinners. If the pacers can take wickets early on, it helps us in the middle or at the end. When pacers take wickets, the opposition is already under pressure, and that allows us to break through and take more wickets. Everyone in the team has an important role to play. If the new-ball bowlers take wickets, it's a big help and a relief for us spinners.