Mushfiqur double tops legends

Bangladesh’s Mushfiqur Rahim has surpassed legendary wicketkeeper-batsmen Adam Gilchrist, Kumar Sangakkara and MS Dhoni to become the first wicketkeeper to ever record two Test double centuries.

Mushfiqur smashed an unbeaten 219 off 421 balls for Bangladesh in the second Test against Zimbabwe in Dhaka.

It was his second Test double-ton, following his even 200 against Sri Lanka five years ago at Galle.

Sri Lanka veteran Sangakkara scored eleven double centuries in his celebrated Test career, but only one of them – the 230 he scored against Pakistan in Lahore in 2002 – came while he was also the side's wicketkeeper.

Zimbabwe great Andy Flower nearly achieved the feat in a 2001 Test match against South Africa, when he was unbeaten on 199 in his side's second innings.

Flower's first double century came in 2000 against India in Nagpur when he scored an unbeaten 232, still the highest-ever Test score for a wicketkeeper.

In the wake of his record-setting double, Mushfiqur said he enjoyed his dual role.

"I have said repeatedly keeping helps me a lot," the 31-year-old told reporters.

"Though it doesn't mean that I will score centuries or double centuries in every match where I keep but it's my process, and I am a big believer in process and preparation.

"It sometimes happens that there is a bit of a problem managing the workload of the two roles, but I think it is a challenge and the one which I always enjoy."

Mushfiqur was stripped of the wicketkeeping role for Bangladesh's past three series, starting with the South Africa tour in October 2017, after a costly blunder in a Test match against India at Hyderabad earlier that year.

He was replaced as gloveman by Liton Das, however the absence of injured opener Tamim Iqbal against Zimbabwe saw Liton promoted up the order, and Mushfiqur return to 'keeping.

"I am the kind of person who does not want to sit in the dressing room doing nothing," said Mushfiqur.

"I want to stay as much as possible on the field and contribute, feel like I am doing something for the team and my country."

Mushfiqur's knock, which came in 589 minutes, also set a new record as the highest ever Test score by a Bangladeshi, overtaking Shakib Al Hasan’s 217 against New Zealand last year at the crease.

"Concentration is a matter of practice – it does not come all of a sudden," he said.

"So as I said, preparation is a big deal for me. And I try to practise in a way that is close to the match situation."

Thanks largely to Mushfiqur’s knock, Bangladesh declared their innings at 7-522 before reducing Zimbabwe to 1-25 at stumps on the second day.

Bangladesh need to win to avoid a series loss after Zimbabwe thrashed the home side by 151-runs in the opening Test in Sylhet.

Highest Test scores by wicketkeepers

Andy Flower 232* Zimbabwe v India, Nagpur, Nov 2000

Kumar Sangakarra 230 Sri Lanka v Pakistan, Lahore, Mar 2002

MS Dhoni 224 India v Australia, Chennai, Feb 2013

Mushfiqur Rahim 219* Bangladesh v Zimbabwe, Dhaka, Nov 2018

Taslim Arif 210* Pakistan v Australia, Faisalabad, Mar 1980

Imtiaz Ahmed 209 Pakistan v New Zealand, Lahore, Oct 1955

Adam Gilchrist 204* Australia v South Africa, Johannesburg, Feb 2002

Brendon Kurppu 201* Sri Lanka v New Zealand, Collombo, Apr 1987

Mushfiqur Rahim 200 Bangladesh v Sri Lanka, Galle, Mar 2013

Additional reporting AFP