Some events in the world of cricket may seem as if they were destined to happen, while others are built solely through one’s determination to put forth effort, to persevere despite exhaustion of any industrial-type machine, or both. Mushfiqur Rahim reaching 100 Tests is the latter. No other Bangladesh player has traveled along that lengthy corridor of Test longevity – and it had nothing to do with lack of ability, but rather due to a combination of a desire to be disciplined, mentally resilient, and never be satisfied with what he does.

 

The Turning Point That Rewired a Career

 

Mushfiqur’s Test career began well, but during his first 30 Test matches, he averaged only 28.85, which signaled potential but little productivity. Bangladesh was also struggling, winning just 2 of their 49 tests during that time.

 

Everything changed in 2013. That year, Mushfiqur’s batting jumped from “promising” to genuinely elite. He averaged 54.45, hit Bangladesh’s first Test double century (200 vs Sri Lanka in Galle), and rediscovered his rhythm after a long dry spell. Since then, he has averaged 42.53 across 69 Tests, the best for any Bangladeshi with 1000+ runs in this era.

 

A Run Machine Built for Tough Conditions

 

Mushfiqur is Bangladesh’s most productive away batter, 2748 runs, six hundreds, and an average of 38.70. This, from a team historically known to shrink outside Asia. His 191 vs Pakistan in 2024 is the highest score in a Bangladesh away win, and he featured in eight of the team’s first nine overseas Test victories. The only player worldwide to appear in more early away wins for his team? Muthiah Muralidaran.

 

That tells you everything about Bangladesh’s reliance on him in foreign conditions: when the ball swings, seams, or misbehaves, Mushfiqur becomes Bangladesh’s grittiest resistance.

 

The Specialist of Big Partnerships

 

If partnerships are the currency of Test batting, Mushfiqur is Bangladesh’s most valuable bank. He owns the highest balls-per-dismissal ratio (78.6) among all Bangladesh batters, essentially making him the hardest wicket to earn. Five of Bangladesh’s six 250-plus stands have involved him, a statistic that quietly reveals his superpower: he doesn’t just score; he makes others better around him.

 

The majority of his hundreds, 10 of 12, have been scored across first innings, where he has an average of 45.77. No other Bangladesh batter with 1,000+ first innings runs has an average of even 40. When stability was needed for Bangladesh, Mushfiqur often provided it before anyone else got going.

 

The Workload No One Else Was Asked to Carry

 

Captain in 34 Tests. Wicketkeeper in 55. Doing both in 28 matches, second only to MS Dhoni’s 60. Mushfiqur’s workload would crush many batters; instead, it sharpened him. He averaged 41.44 as captain, far better than the 36.30 when he wasn’t leading. As a wicketkeeper, he still averaged 37, better than several top-order batters worldwide in the same era.

 

And his record behind the stumps? 113 dismissals and counting, comfortably the best for Bangladesh.

 

The Double-Hundred Phenomenon

 

Three Test double hundreds from No. 5 or below a feat achieved by only two others in history. His 219* in 2018 remains Bangladesh’s highest Test score. If the modern game celebrates “impact batting,” Mushfiqur has been doing it long before hashtags popularized the term.

 

He wasn’t the loudest star. He wasn’t the most flamboyant. But he was the most inevitable. The player you expected to fight hardest, last longest, and rescue the innings when everything else was cracking. His 100th Test isn’t a celebration of survival; it’s a celebration of a standard. A standard that future Bangladeshi cricketers will chase, but very few will match.

 

Key Takeaway

 

Mushfiqur Rahim didn’t just play 100 Tests; he dragged Bangladesh into the era where such milestones became possible.

 

FAQs

 

1: What makes Mushfiqur Rahim Bangladesh’s greatest Test batter?

His combination of runs, away record, consistency, and longevity sets him apart from every Bangladesh Test cricketer.

 

2: Why is 2013 considered the turning point of his career?

It was the year he averaged over 50, scored Bangladesh’s first Test double hundred, and elevated himself into elite company.

 

3: How has Mushfiqur performed as a wicketkeeper-batter?

Exceptionally averaging 37 with 113 dismissals while playing some of his best knocks under the gloves’ pressure.

 

Disclaimer: This blog post reflects the author’s personal insights and analysis. Readers are encouraged to consider the perspectives shared and draw their own conclusions.

 

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