Nasum Ahmed Ready to Build on His Comeback, Focuses on the Present

Nasum Ahmed, the Bangladesh left-arm spinner, is in high spirits after a successful comeback in the recent ODI series against Afghanistan. He led the team to a much-needed win in the second game, cementing his return to the national team.

Nasum had a tumultuous past, but has moved on from the controversy that led to the ousting of former head coach Chandika Hathurusingha. "The past is past, and I've not spoken about it. I don't want to dwell on it," he said. Nasum took a year-long break, giving himself to Allah, and is now back in the national team.

Nasum shared stories of his journey under coaches Russell Domingo and Sridharan Sriram, who he credits for helping him adjust to international cricket. Domingo, in particular, taught him to forget past performances and focus on the present.

"He told me that the sun rises every day, and you need to forget what happened yesterday. I was a player who struggled after bad games, but he kept me motivated, and my stats show my performance improved after that game," Nasum said.

Nasum also praised Sriram, who he says helped him bat better, and he became serious about his batting under his guidance.

"When I'm benched, I play from the dugout, analyzing the opposition's top order and left-arm spinners. I try to be my best when I play, as Shakib bhai does, and see what I would have done in his place," Nasum shared.

Shakib Al Hasan's retirement from T20Is and Tests has left a huge void in Bangladesh's team, but Nasum doesn't want the pressure of replacing him. "Shakib Al Hasan is Shakib Al Hasan, and no one can be like him. I just want to focus on my bowling and batting and be the best version of myself."

Nasum concluded by asserting his focus: "My main identity is that I am a bowler. If I bat, it's beneficial for the team, but if I don't bowl well, even if I score two fifties, I won't be in the team.