When Mushfiqur Rahim takes the field for the second Test against Ireland in Mirpur, he will become the first Bangladesh cricketer to make 100 Test appearances. He made his debut in 2005 at Lord’s, becoming and remaining the youngest debutant in the stadium’s long history.
An Unusual 20-Year Career in Modern Cricket
Mushfiqur has become part of an elite group, having started his career in the 2000s; only James Anderson and Brendan Taylor have played Test cricket for two decades in this era. His long career is a testament to his skills, discipline, and development as one of Bangladesh’s most dependable cricketers.
Role Versatility: Captain, Keeper, and Run Machine
Mushfiqur has taken on multiple responsibilities in his playing career so far:
34 Tests as captain
55 Tests as wicketkeeper
6000+ Test runs – the only Bangladeshi batter to cross this benchmark
Among active Bangladeshi batters with 1000+ Test runs, Mushfiqur is second in batting average behind Tamim Iqbal’s average of 38.02.
His 12 Test hundreds are also the nation’s second highest.
Early struggles, the rise of Bangladesh
Mushfiqur’s first 30 Tests were modest – an average of 28.85 with just one century. Bangladesh, too, were still developing, having won just two of their first 39 Tests during this stretch.
However, after 2013, the team’s trajectory changed, and so did Mushfiqur’s.
The Turning Point: 2013 and Beyond
The year 2013 transformed his career. He averaged 54.45 that year and recorded Bangladesh’s first-ever Test double century—a brilliant 200 against Sri Lanka in Galle.
Since 2013:
Averaged 42.53 in 69 Tests
Scored 11 centuries
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Became the only Bangladeshi batsman averaging above 40 during this period (minimum 1000 runs)
Played an important role as Bangladesh became more competitive in Asia.
Master of Double Hundreds
Mushfiqur’s 219* against Zimbabwe in 2018 remains the highest Test score by a Bangladeshi. He is also:
The only Bangladesh player with multiple double hundreds, and
The only wicketkeeper-batter in Test cricket with more than one double ton
He added another double century, 203 against Zimbabwe in 2020, to become the third player in Test history with three or more double hundreds batting at No. 5 or lower.
Match-Winning Influence: Awards and Key Contributions
Mushfiqur leads all Bangladeshi players with seven Player-of-the-Match awards. Of these, three have come away from home-a feat achieved more than once only by Tamim Iqbal for Bangladesh.
Away-Test Specialist
Mushfiqur Rahim has been Bangladesh’s most dependable performer overseas:
2748 Test runs abroad – the most for Bangladesh
Six centuries away – also the national record
191 vs Pakistan (2024) – Highest score by Bangladesh in an overseas Test win.
He also featured in eight of Bangladesh’s first nine overseas Test victories, placing second to Muthiah Muralidaran for appearances in early away wins.
Bangladesh’s Most Difficult Batter to Dismiss
Mushfiqur is statistically Bangladesh’s hardest batter to remove, with a balls-per-dismissal ratio of 78.6. His temperament has made him the backbone of major partnerships, featuring in five of Bangladesh’s six 250+ stands.
Success Across Conditions
He has scored Test hundreds in six different countries, the most by any Bangladeshi. He is also the only Bangladesh player with centuries in all four Test-playing Asian nations, excluding UAE.
Dominance in the First Innings
Ten of his twelve Test centuries came in the first innings where he averages 45.77, the highest among Bangladeshi batters with 1000-plus first-innings runs.
Leadership and Wicketkeeping Legacy
Mushfiqur captained Bangladesh in 34 Tests and kept wickets in 55, the highest in both categories for his country. He combined both responsibilities in 28 matches – second most in the world after MS Dhoni (60).
Performance comparison:
Average as wicketkeeper: 37.00
Batting Average as specialist batsman: 39.38
Average as captain: 41.44 – considerably higher than his non-captain average
He is now one of the most influential Test performers for Bangladesh, with 3515 runs as a wicketkeeper and 113 dismissals – 98 catches and 15 stumpings.
A Milestone at His Favourite Venue
It is almost poetic that Mushfiqur’s 100th Test comes at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, where he has scored exactly 5000 international runs the most by any player at a single venue in cricket history.
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