Bangladesh fast-bowling rising star Nahid Rana says Shaun Tait has played a key role in his development without adding unnecessary complexity to his game. In an ODI stretch against New Zealand, Tait urged Rana to stick to a simple approach, and Rana has now echoed that exact thinking after his latest recognition.
Quick facts
- Nahid Rana credited Shaun Tait for helping him progress without complicating his process.
- Tait had earlier advised Rana to keep things simple during Bangladesh’s ODI series versus New Zealand.
- Rana won back-to-back Player of the Series awards against Pakistan and New Zealand.
- Rana said he felt his mindset matches Tait’s, making practice sessions easier.
- Rana described playing alongside Mustafizur Rahman as “close to” a dream, including guidance from the left-arm pacer.
- Rana was rested for the three-match T20I series to manage workload.
- The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) did not release Rana for the Pakistan Super League (PSL) alongside Mustafizur Rahman.
- BCB’s reason: to provide adequate time for preparation for a Test series against Pakistan in May.
Rana, who collected the Player of the Series award against New Zealand on Thursday, explained that Tait’s guidance aligns with how he prefers to work. “He thinks exactly the same way as I do, and he lets me think in my way,” Rana said on T-Sports.
He added that Tait understands what drives him toward success and supports that approach. Rana said, “He sees how I want to earn success and he tries to nurture that,” while stressing that having the same mental blueprint makes it simpler when they train together.
“My mentality and his mentality is quite the same, and when we work together in practice it becomes easy because we think along the same line,” Rana said. The 23-year-old also highlighted how valuable it has been for him to share the dressing room and bowling workload with Mustafizur Rahman.
Rana described playing with Mustafizur as something he had long imagined. “Actually, being able to play with him is somewhat close to the word dream,” he said, noting that during his youth he primarily watched Mustafizur and Taskin Ahmed as the pace-bowling role models he admired most.
He recalled the mindset of a young fan who never expected the leap to international cricket. “When I was a kid, pace bowlers meant Mustafizur bhai and Taskin bhai, and I mostly used to watch them. In my childhood when I used to watch them play I never thought I would play international cricket with them,” Rana said.
Rana also said he actively tries to learn from Mustafizur and regularly seeks advice when needed during matches. “To be honest it’s something that makes me feel really positive and I always try to learn something from Fizz bhai and he always willingly helps me and everyone. So when I need help or advice in the field I go to him and he gives advice about what’s good to do or not,” he added.
Workload management and PSL call
Rana is currently set to miss the three-match T20I series as part of workload management. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has also chosen not to release him for the Pakistan Super League, and that decision comes alongside the same treatment for Mustafizur Rahman.
Instead, the board’s plan is to ensure both fast bowlers receive enough time to prepare for Bangladesh’s Test series against Pakistan, scheduled for May. Rana was also seen speaking at length with Mustafizur during the third ODI against New Zealand, underscoring how much he values those on-field conversations.
