Known primarily for his bowling, Mymensingh Division's Abu Hider Rony produced a sensational batting display in this year's National Cricket League (NCL), amassing 421 runs in just seven innings at an average of 105.25. The 29-year-old smashed 32 sixes, struck two centuries, and maintained a staggering strike rate of 116.94 alongside taking 12 wickets. In an interview with The Daily Star's Samsul Arefin Khan, Rony spoke about his journey to rebuilding himself as a pace-bowling all-rounder, and his plans ahead. The excerpts are as follows:
The Daily Star (DS): Your performance with the bat was outstanding in this year's NCL. How did it come about?
Abu Hider Rony (AHR): Over the last three or four years in red-ball cricket, especially in NCL and BCL [Bangladesh Cricket League], things have been going well for me with the bat. My batting has improved alongside my bowling. I didn't start the season thinking I would score two centuries, but I did plan to get big runs this year. I was even telling my teammates before the tournament began that a century would come this year. I was confident and waiting for the opportunity.
DS: You bat quite low in the order and often without recognised batters around you. Did that push you into playing more attacking cricket?
AHR: I batted at No.8 this time, which means I usually walk in with only the bowlers left. What often happened was that when I reached 30 or 40 and started settling in, the main batters at the other end would get out. Then I had to score the remaining runs with the tail. That made me think differently. In previous years, I had a few fifties but never converted them into hundreds. So, this year I planned to face as many balls as possible if there is no recognised batter with me at the crease.
Also, since we use the Duke ball -- except for the first two rounds when we used the Kookaburra ball -- you can't survive by being too defensive. The ball swings throughout. So, my approach was simple: if the ball is in my zone, I will hit it, whether it's the first ball or the last. If it's there to be hit, I'll try to hit it for a six.
DS: You've been part of many understudy teams but have been out of the Bangladesh team for around eight years. Why is that?
AHR: Selection is entirely up to the management. My job is to keep trying. Of course, everyone has shortcomings. My batting is good now, but sometimes my bowling fluctuates. If you assess me purely as a pacer, I would need to perform really well as I'm competing with the current national team pacers, who have performed extremely well in the last few years. But I see myself as an all-rounder, and I'm trying to perform in that role.
DS: So, you're trying to establish yourself as an all-rounder to return to the national team?
AHR: Absolutely. After I was dropped from the national team in 2018, pacers like Shoriful Islam, Khaled Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain, Hasan Mahmud started coming through, and they've been bowling brilliantly. That made me realise that if I wanted to survive at the top level or make a comeback, I had to improve my batting. I had never seriously thought about elevating myself as a batter before, but circumstances pushed me to do it. Now I'm much more mature and confident. Today, I can genuinely call myself a pace-bowling all-rounder.
DS: As you're not part of BCB's structured programmes now, how difficult is it to maintain yourself?
AHR: It's tough, honestly. If you're outside the national team setup, you can't use the practice facilities freely due to restrictions. I've been playing first-class cricket for 13 years and have represented Bangladesh, but even then, I don't always get a wicket to practice. So, what options do I have? Either pay money to use private nets or go to privately run academies. You have to arrange your own training at your own cost.
DS: At 29, how confident are you about making a national comeback?
AHR: I'm not that old, and many from my batch are representing the national team. Definitely, the plan is to make a comeback. Things are going well, and I'll continue pushing myself.
