Rishad Hossain Set to Tap Into Ponting's Expertise During BBL Debut

Bangladesh legspinner Rishad Hossain is eager to learn from Ricky Ponting as he prepares to feature in the Big Bash League for the Hobart Hurricanes this season. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has granted Rishad a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the entire season of the BBL, which begins on December 14. The legspinner, who just finished a white-ball series against Afghanistan, will thus be available to play the full tournament.

Rishad was picked by the Hurricanes last season but couldn't take part due to his commitments in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). Despite his absence, the Hurricanes went on to lift their first-ever BBL title. "Ponting was one of my favorite players growing up; I used to watch him play. I'm really looking forward to working with him," Rishad said in a Zoom interaction with reporters on Monday.

"More than the players, I'm looking forward to working with Ricky Ponting and playing under his coaching," he added.

Rishad said his decision to play in overseas leagues came from a desire to keep improving himself. "I was asking myself what I could do to improve my game. Then I thought, if I get to play in these leagues, it will benefit me. If you look at it, those matches are held in different venues, my dream grounds to play in," he said.

"As a leg-spinner, if I get to play in these foreign leagues, it will be good for me and for my bowling. I'll get opportunities to improve my skills. Yes, foreign leagues offer a lot. Many top players play there, and you get to share the dressing room with them. I hope I'll be able to gather new knowledge and experience from that," he added.

Rishad also spoke about his ongoing efforts to innovate with his bowling. "I believe in my strengths, and day by day I'm trying to improve, even if it's just by one or two percent, without thinking too much about the future," he said.

He's been experimenting with new angles to create deception, a tweak he says has already shown promise. "My goal is to create doubt in the batter's mind by using different angles. It's just another variation," he said.

The 23-year-old also hopes to make an impact with the ball in the powerplay and beyond. "As a leg-spinner, my job is to take wickets after the powerplay. I hope to continue that in Hobart," he said.