Mohammad Rubel has returned from his first overseas cricket tour with a performance that has strengthened his growing reputation in Bangladesh cricket. The mystery spinner took 23 wickets in seven matches in the Top End T20 2026 in Australia, finishing with a bowling average of 7.08 and an economy rate of 5.81. The 30-year-old has taken an unusual route to this stage of his career. Now part of the Bangladesh High Performance setup, Rubel spoke to Shajedul Hassan Rahin of TIMES of Bangladesh about his performance in Australia, his bowling, his journey and what he wants to achieve next.
You took 23 wickets in the Top End T20 2026 in just seven matches. How do you evaluate your performance?
It just feels good. I don’t have too many feelings about it, but it feels good to perform.
It was your first overseas tour as a cricketer. Did you get any compliments from people you met in Australia?
Players from every team appreciated me and said that I bowl well. The commentators also came and gave me compliments. Johan Botha was an opposition coach. He also came to me and talked for some time. He said, ‘You bowl well and have great variations. Keep it up.’
He even said he wanted to see me in the Big Bash.
About the variations, how many do you think you have in your armoury?
I don’t actually think that way. I try to pitch it in the right areas, and I try to make a subtle change to confuse the batters.
While trying variations, many bowlers often end up with illegal bowling actions. How do you avoid this?
I keep it normal, and I know that my action does not have any problem. During practice, I take videos of myself and watch them later to see if my hand is straight and my bowling action is fine.
In Bangladesh, spinners usually turn up as orthodox finger spinners, with the arm ball often being their main variation. When did you start bowling the carrom ball or the doosra?
In 2023-24, I started bowling with such variations. Before that, I too was a regular off-break bowler. I played in the Second Division for seven years. I used to get 15 to 20 wickets maximum, not more than that. I bowled well, but it didn’t feel enough. One day, I thought that my career would be limited to the Second Division or First Division if it continued that way. So I decided to try something different three months before the 2023-24 Second Division season.
Three months before the league, I started practising the variations and saw that things went well. I tried them in the Second Division in Dhaka, and that season, I ended up being the highest wicket-taker with 37 wickets, Alhamdulillah.
The next year, I played in the First Division and went on to be the highest wicket-taker again, with 43 wickets. From there, I started playing in the NCL, BPL and DPL. I took 20 wickets in the last season of the Dhaka Premier League.
Did you follow anyone as a cricketing or bowling idol?
Not actually. I did not follow anyone. But I really like Shakib Al Hasan. People have favourite players, right? For me, it’s him. He is my favourite.
And if I ask you to pick a favourite off-spinner?
I’d pick myself (smiles). I actually don’t follow anyone, to be honest.
Many unorthodox bowlers from Afghanistan and Pakistan get chances in T20 leagues around the world. Do you think you can make it to those leagues?
I don’t think much about that. I just know that whenever and wherever I get to play, I’ll give my best. Everyone’s dream is to play for the national team. My ultimate dream is to play for the Bangladesh national team. Not just that, be it the NCL, the BPL or wherever I get to play, I will just have to bowl well. I don’t look too much into the future.
