India vs Bangladesh ODIs: Mashrafe Mortaza Counts on Rubel Hossain's 'Madness'
Virat Kohli's Duel With Rubel Hossain in the World Cup quarters made headlines but Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza says it is time the pacer grabbed the limelight against India for his bowling again.
- NDTVSports
- Updated: June 17, 2015 08:07 PM IST
Rubel Hossain will be Team India's enemy No. 1 in the three ODI matches at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium in Mirpur, starting Thursday. Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Morataza is aware of his pacer's prowess of getting under the skin of the opposition but assured that the duels, if any, would be purely cricketing. (Complete coverage of Bangladesh vs India ODI series)
Addressing the media on the eve of the first ODI, Mortaza admitted that Rubel can be a fierce competitor but that his verbal duel with Kohli in the World Cup is a forgotten chapter. (Top-five battles to watch out for in Bangladesh vs India ODIs)
"We battle on the field but it is not literally a battle. I don't think anyone will think about what happened in a match three-four months ago," Mortaza said of the incident when the pacer gave the India vice-captain a verbal send-off in the World Cup quarters played in Melbourne.
"A lot of things can happen by accident. I don't think it requires any deep thinking."
Mortaza also assured that no new controversy will erupt in the course of the upcoming matches and that Rubel will let the ball do the talking this time.
"If his (Rubel) madness is helpful, then I don't mind it. I obviously wouldn't want any personal attacks. But I don't see anything between Rubel and Kohli," said Mortaza.
Both Rubel and Kohli will indeed try to grab the spotlight. While Kohli is the fulcrum on which Indian batting is balanced on, Rubel became a national hero when his four wickets ousted England from the World Cup. Playing with heart on their sleeves is what characterizes the two cricketers and neither will settle for the consolation prize.
(With inputs from PTI)