Hridoy bats up, scores big, but wants no say in where he plays

Towhid Hridoy scored a commanding century batting in the top-order for Mohammedan Sporting Club Limited on Tuesday, but the Bangladesh middle-order batter was careful not to use the performance as a personal argument for a promoted position in the national side ahead of the Australia series.

Hridoy, who batted at number six in Bangladesh's last series, was pushed up the order in Tuesday's Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League (DPL) match — a move that paid off handsomely. However, he was quick to deflect any personal credit for the decision.

"Not really top-order — it was a team demand. The team asked me to do it; it was a team call, which is why I batted in the top order. I've always said, and I'll keep saying, that whatever the team demands, the team's priority comes first. I try to serve the team in that way," he said.

When pressed on whether he expects to be given a higher batting slot in the Australia series on the back of this performance, Hridoy remained characteristically selfless. "I don't have expectations regarding these things. Whatever the team demands, whatever the team's requirement is, I'll try to serve the team accordingly. It's a team call. This game isn't about me alone. Whatever decision the team makes, I'm fine with it."

A reporter pointed out that, statistically, Hridoy is currently Bangladesh's best batter in white-ball cricket and questioned whether the team is underutilising him by not giving him more balls to face in the middle-order.

Hridoy refused to be drawn into any criticism of team management. 

"I don't want to say anything like that. Look, these decisions will be made by the captain and the team management. They will decide. There's nothing I can do by saying something. If there's a better option than me, naturally they will go in that direction. But I always try to serve the team as best as I can from my position," he said.

Asked directly what his preferred batting position is, he gave the same measured answer: "I don't want to say that. Wherever the team wants me to bat, I'm always ready."

Hridoy did acknowledge, however, that posting big totals — something Mohammedan have done consistently in this DPL — requires top-order contributions. 

"To post big scores, runs always need to come from the top order. If we don't get regular runs from the top, then it becomes the responsibility of the middle order to contribute as much as possible to the team," he concluded.