Will be the happiest to play under MS Dhoni, says Bangladesh all-rounder Mohammad Saifuddin

Bangladesh got eliminated from the 2019 World Cup even before their last league game against Pakistan at the Lord’s. However, the Tigers had loads of positives to draw from the mega event, one of them was Mohammad Saifuddin. The 22-year-old picked up 13 wickets in eight matches, though he had his difficulties while bowling at the death. He also scored a sparkling half-century versus India.

In that game, he played alongside MS Dhoni, whom he admires from his childhood. Now, Saifuddin wishes to ply his trade in the Indian Premier League under Dhoni’s leadership. If he doesn’t make CSK, then his second preference is the Kolkata Knight Riders, the franchise of his ‘favourite city’- Kolkata. He also wants to follow the footsteps of Shakib Al Hasan.

“I will be the happiest playing under Dhoni. Otherwise, for my favourite city Kolkata. I wish to be loved and admired like Shakib in this part of Bengal,” Saifuddin was quoted as saying in an interview with Anandabazar Patrika – a renowned Bengali news daily in Kolkata. Saifuddin plays for the Comilla Victorians, for whom even Steve Smith has played, in the Bangladesh Premier League.

The unbeaten fifty versus the Men in Blue at the Edgbaston in Birmingham was Saifuddin’s highest score in ODIs, though it couldn’t save the Tigers from a 28-run defeat. During that knock, the Chittagong-born was keeping a close watch on Dhoni and the signals he was delivering to the bowlers. He talked about how the Dhoni, who recently turned 38, makes gestures to bowl the bouncer and also the yorker.

Dhoni gives signals to bowlers, learnt Saifuddin

“From my childhood, I tried to decipher the reasons behind Dhoni’s success in cricket. He gives some sort of a signal to the bowlers from behind the wickets with his hands and fingers. At the time of batting against India, before every delivery, I used to have a glance at Dhoni, trying to figure out his signals.

He was putting his hands on his chest when Hardik (Pandya) was bowling. The next ball was a bouncer and then I figured out that it was for a short ball. Sometimes, I noticed that he pointed towards the toes and the next ball was a yorker. By doing so, he tries to distract the batters,” he added.