There’s been a lot of talk about Mohammad Saifuddin’s abilities as an all-rounder, but recent performances have raised doubts.
Sure, Saifuddin has dished out glimpses of his talents with bat and ball in domestic competitions but can those sparks of promise in lower-quality contests be used to solidify faith in the 27-year-old heading into the T20 World Cup in June?
In the fifth T20I against Zimbabwe, Saifuddin struggled, giving away 55 runs in four overs. His performance contributed to Bangladesh’s loss, and it’s led to questions about his role in the team.
Saifuddin is known for his bowling skills, especially at the end of the innings. However, he hasn’t consistently delivered on this promise, often resorting to slower balls instead of his trademark yorkers.
Ideally, the Tigers should be looking to use Saifuddin for his bowling, particularly at the death. He has a reputation for finding the blockhole and bowling spearing yorkers in domestic competitions and this perception has often brought him to the fore whenever the Tigers have faced a death bowling crisis. But how often has he been able to deliver on his strength, especially in national colours? Saifuddin has often resorted to the change of pace, pitching halfway onto the pitch instead of going for what he was known for in his Under-19 days — executing yorkers, almost at will.
With Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, and Taskin Ahmed — the latter’s inclusion for the T20 World Cup being subject to his recovery from his recent rib cage injury – making up the pace-bowling line-up, the Tigers can’t really use Saifuddin as a strike bowler as he bowls at a gentle pace and would have a hard time unsettling batters with pace. He can be a useful option in the middle overs due to his expertise in changing the pace but much of his usefulness will depend on whether he can get his yorkers right.
The ongoing series was a test for the 27-year-old to see how he holds up in the five-match series, at least fitness-wise. He has picked up eight wickets in the four matches at an economy rate of 9.31 and has been used by skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto in all three phases of the innings.
In Saifuddin’s case, often his role as a lower-middle-order batter, who can come with some lusty blows at the death, is brought to the fore. But how much can the batter Saifuddin deliver in such scenarios? He scored 101 runs in this year’s Dhaka Premier League at a strike rate of 100 in 10 innings — a stat that does very little to make his case as an explosive batter lower down the order, especially when considering the subpar standard of the domestic league.
With other pace bowlers like Shoriful Islam and Mustafizur Rahman in the team, Saifuddin’s role is uncertain. Bangladesh needs to decide if he’s the right fit for the team.
It might be time for Bangladesh to rethink their strategy and decide what they really want from Saifuddin.