Test cricket never crossed my mind while playing BPL: Liam Dawson

English all-round Liam Dawson had been on the fringes of making his Test debut for a long time. The moment finally arrived when he drafted in the playing eleven for the final Test against India. The gutsy all-rounder hit a fifty on debut. His selection in the side had come as a surprise to the left-arm spinner. He was plying his trade for the Rangpur Riders in the fourth edition of the Bangladesh Premier League.

It was right then when he got an England call up for the final two Tests. He was brought in at the expense of an injured Zafar Ansari in a like for like replacement. He missed out on playing the fourth Test but got his chance in the fifth. However, Liam Dawson wants to learn the pace at which Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja bowls at, “The way Jadeja bowls for India is a good learning curve for me – the pace he bowls at and the lines too. Going forward that’s something, especially on the subcontinent if I do play more, that I’ll be looking to do. This is my first tour so I’ve never experienced anything before. There’s always pressure in international cricket and hopefully, I can deal with it”, Dawson told to Sky Sports at the end of second day’s play.

Talking at the press conference after the match, a very honest Liam Dawson mentioned that Test cricket did not even cross his mind when he was in Bangladesh a couple of weeks ago. He called his Test debut as a special one.

“Went I went to Bangladesh for the BPL, Test cricket didn’t even cross my mind. So to be here now and making my Test debut in India is obviously very special,” Dawson said.

He was greeted with some serious short deliveries by the Indian pacers. Reflecting back on his innings of 66, he said it was nice to get runs under the belt on debut.

“It is obviously nice to do well on debut. It was interesting first few balls in Test cricket for me but I was pleased to get through them. It was my Test debut, I was always going to be up for it. You make one Test debut. I was extremely excited and from a team point of view as well we want to finish on a high. We are in a fairly good position,” quoted the all-rounder.

He mentioned that skipper Alastair Cook had asked him to enjoy his moment. He cited that there is not much turn in the wicket. “It’s obviously nice to get small milestones. It’s obviously a small milestone. From a personal point of view it’s a very special day. I am obviously looking for tomorrow. He [Cook] basically told me to enjoy the occasion. It’s a pretty good wicket. There isn’t huge amount of spin, hasn’t been much pace in it for the seamers, so tomorrow is going to be hard work for us but if we keep going all day and keep trying to take wickets then we can take wickets,” he added.

Commenting on the short deliveries that came his way, Dawson was clear in his mind about taking one ball at a time. He said he has been doing the job for his county side and he carried forward the game to a higher level.

“It was a good bouncer, I tried to watch it as hard as I could but that’s part of the game sometimes you get it a little bit wrong. As a said I was pleased to get through. I think you got to take one ball at a time and that’s what I was thinking. I put that ball at the back of my mind and I just managed to concentrate on ball at a hat was crucial. I haven’t really thought too much to be fair. I have prepared, I have done what I do for Hampshire and that’s all I can do,” he conceded.