Ebadot Hossain has become a shining example of how determination and hard work can propel a cricketer to greater heights on the global stage. At 29 years old, he has cemented his position as a vital member of Bangladesh’s pace-bowling unit, leaving a lasting impact during their historic Test victory against Afghanistan on a challenging Mirpur pitch. Ebadot, who hails from Sylhet, has earned his spot in the ODI and T20I squads for the upcoming Afghanistan series. In an open and candid conversation with The Daily Star’s Mazhar Uddin, Ebadot shared his thoughts on his bowling, future plans, work ethic, and more. Here are a few excerpts:

How satisfied were you with your performance in the Test against Afghanistan?

Ebadot Hossain: The most important thing for us was the desire to win. We carried that hunger from the beginning. In the previous Test, we suffered a resounding defeat to Afghanistan, and being on the bench at that time left me feeling really disheartened. I was determined to make a significant contribution if given the opportunity to play, with the aim of securing a convincing victory. This mindset was shared by all my teammates. We were resolute in our determination to defeat them by a considerable margin.

On a personal note, my Test career didn’t have the best start initially. This has fueled my hunger to become a world-class bowler, motivating me to work even harder to reach that level. I am continuously striving to develop my skills and execute the team’s plans, but I believe I still have a long way to go.

How do you plan to transition your bowling rhythm from Tests to limited-overs formats?

I firmly believe that fitness plays a pivotal role when it comes to playing across different formats. Over the past two years, I have been consulting with our trainer. After Tamim (Iqbal) bhai brought me into the one-day side, I became determined to transform myself into an all-format bowler, both mentally and physically. I had the opportunity to play in the last T20 World Cup and have managed to claim seven wickets in four T20Is. In addition to my bowling, I have been working on my batting for the past two years under the guidance of Jamie Siddons and now Nick Pothas. I also understand the significance of excelling in fielding since there is no room to hide in limited-overs formats.

How important is it to have a strong bond among the fast bowlers on and off the field?

I must give credit to two individuals for fostering this bond. One is former Test captain Mominul Haque bhai, and the other is Ottis Gibson. The support and backing we received from Mominul bhai were truly remarkable. In my opinion, he is the best captain. He played a significant role in building a strong bond among the fast bowlers by taking us out for dinner and spending time to establish that rapport. Ottis Gibson played a similar role as well. They made us realize that when we genuinely wish the best for one another, we will celebrate each other’s successes and stand together during challenging times. We also strive to extend this camaraderie to younger bowlers like Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam, and others. When Taskin gets hit for a boundary, I feel his pain. In fact, after he picked up the fifth wicket, I was the one who ran towards him and hugged him because I felt like I achieved that wicket too. This bond is what makes our bowling unit special.