CHENNAI: He had not held a cricket ball in his hand until he turned 17 but only four years later Nahid Rana started hurrying world-class batters with his raw pace. He crossed 150kmph on his Test debut against Sri Lanka in March this year and consistently touched the 150kmph mark in two five-day matches Bangladesh played against hosts Pakistan. The 21-year-old dismantled Pakistan in the Rawalpindi Test claiming four wickets including that of captain Shan Masood, Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel in the second innings to hand his team a historic 2-0 clean sweep.
With Bangladesh touring India for two Tests and three T20Is, Najmul Hossain Shanto and Co will expect Rana to continue in the same vein. More importantly, the pace sensation standing at around six feet two inches would be keen to outfox batters like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma on his first tour to India.
Rana might be the centre of attraction given his recent exploits on the field and the pace he generates but it was a far-fetched dream almost five years ago when he decided to leave his village Horishpur (Harishpur) for district headquarters Chapainawabganj to pursue his dream of becoming a cricketer.
"One of my acquaintances from his village called me and told me about the pace he generates," Alamgir Kabir, former Bangladesh pacer who played three Tests for the country, told this daily. Alamgir works as a fast bowling coach at the Clemon Rajshahi Cricket Academy started by former Bangladesh Test captain Khaled Mashud along with a few divisional cricketers.
But for Rana to make a move, he had to fulfil a demand put forth by his elder brother, who was working in Saudi Arabia and the primary earning member of the family. "Rana's father is a small-time farmer and it was his elder brother who used to send money to the family from Saudi Arabia to make ends meet. Initially, the brother was skeptical and was of the opinion that due to cricket Rana's studies might take a back seat. So he demanded Rana to complete his 10th class before moving to district headquarters. Once that was done, he asked Rana to complete his 12th along with cricket coaching," added Alamgir.
Even moving to the academy didn't work immediately for Rana as it was raining then and the youngster had to wait to showcase his skills. "On Day One, I gave him a new ball and an old ball to check his skills. He bowled quite well with both balls. His pace was extraordinary as our professional wicketkeeper was struggling to collect the ball. But a lot needed to be done as his run-up was haphazard and he was holding the ball with both hands. These issues make a bowler injury prone. So we worked on him for almost two years before he made his first-class debut," reminded the coach.
Swimming, climbing trees developed Rana's muscles
Alamgir holds Rana a natural talent and attributes his fast bowling to activities he used to do in his village. "He was tall and that definitely helps to extract extra bounce from the surface. But his shoulders were also strong. Besides, his core body was well-built. I asked about it and he said he used to swim for hours in his village. He also used to climb mango trees up and down in his village, along with his friends. These activities apparently developed his muscles and made him fit enough to bowl faster."
Rana used to bowl for hours in the nets with the coach video-graphing him. They both used to watch the videos later and work on the pacer's skills.
The efforts put in by the pacer and the coach paid rich dividends as the former made his first-class debut for Rajshahi Division against Barisal in the National Cricket League in October 2021. In the next season (2022-23), Rana claimed 41 wickets to grabbed eyeballs. However, it was his stints for Khulna Tigers in the Bangladesh Premier League that caught the eye of selectors and eventually fetched a national call-up for the Test side this year.
Usually, youngsters of his age follow the footprints of famed cricketers in their early days. They follow their role models' lead to carve a niche for themselves. But Rana is different. "I once asked him whom he follows as a cricketer and his reply was unique. 'Sir I want to be Nahid Rana, why should I become like anyone else'. The reply was surprising but it was perfect as well. I also asked him to be natural and carve out his own paths."
With 11 wickets from the first three Tests, Rana has already announced himself on the world stage. How he fares in the two Tests against heavyweights India will further shape his career and Alamgir strongly believes there will be many not only in Bangladesh but across the world to follow the footprints of Rana when he hangs his boots.