Mehidy the Bowler Is on Fire—But Can Mehidy the Batter Keep Up?

Bangladesh cricket is in a state of excitement — and a bit of confusion. It has always been assumed that the country’s spin-bowling baton would be passed seamlessly from Shakib Al Hasan to Mehidy Hasan Miraz, but it appears Mehidy’s batting is faster than his bowling. And this is no random blip of good wind-batting — it’s a genuine revolution. The burning question is, can Mehidy the bowler rise from the ashes again to echo the transformation of Mehidy the batter?

From Tail-Ender to Top-Order Threat

Let’s do the math. Just 2 years ago, Mehidy was averaging 12.33 with the bat in Test matches, and in 2024, he is Bangladesh’s leading run scorer with 614 runs at a very respectable 38.37. For an all-rounder – that is more than serviceable – that is very good even amongst a bunch of specialist batters.

Of course, this has not just happened overnight. Mehidy has matured as a batter through experiences – through critical match-saving innings, long and considered innings under pressure, and evolving productivity across series. He is no longer the bonus at 7; in a team that regularly has collapses, he is starting to evolve into a safety net. Bangladesh supporters, long too used to the panic of 120 for 6, have now found some comfort that they will see Mehidy again, and he will likely not find the run-out line.

Just as we rewind a few weeks and find ourselves still celebrating the new batting star, there is also an elephant shuffling round the stats column – his bowling stats are and have begun to decline.

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Bowling Numbers That Need a Rebound

Yes, Mehidy still has his spells with the ball—like the five-for against Zimbabwe just now—but the trend is troubling. In 2024, while playing four home Tests, his bowling average surged to 70.28, with a strike rate of 121.4. By way of context, that is a long way from the guy who would cause teams to lose the plot on Day 4 tracks in Chattogram.

To be fair, the pressure is off Mehidy as the number one pace option, as Bangladesh’s pace attack is now relatively full. The development of Nahid Rana and Hasan Mahmud to give Bangladesh more options is crucial to supporting the side’s depth and balance. But that just means Mehidy can fall off a little bit in the distance with the ball in hand. He has 195 Test wickets, and he is almost in the class of 200 Test wickets with Shakib and Taijul Islam, only five away. Besides, to accomplish something like that, you need instant form, focus, and fire.

This does not indicate that Mehidy’s skill has diminished; rather, his role has changed sooner than he thought. It is now a matter of recalibrating and finding his nishkama and karma(n), where his bowling and batting can thrive, and no one is holding the other back.

Time to Strike a New Balance

The best part? Mehidy still has time on his side. He’s only 27 years old, and he’s not yet in his prime. Although he has developed into a methodical cricketer, with plenty of international experience both at home and abroad, he knows that he needs to adapt. To his credit, he has already started (to adapt), where he has realised growth emerging in his bowling to an even more disciplined method in overseas conditions.

Now he must translate this discipline back to home, where he makes adaptations to his lines, works on his pace, or, if he wants to, makes a couple of changes to put batters back on the defensive again. Just like he rebuilt his batting, he can retool his bowling. Let’s face it—Bangladesh is better off with Mehidy bowling the ball.

Also Read: KKR’s Tactical Tumble & Finch’s Flaming Review 

Will Mehidy the bowler catch up to Mehidy the batter before the gap gets too large? Or are we witnessing the start of some entirely new cricketing beast?

Disclaimer: This cricket blog reflects the author’s insights and analysis. Readers should consider the points discussed and draw their own conclusions.

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alison richard

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