A dramatic last-ball boundary shattered Khulna Tigers' Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) campaign to a heartbreaking end on Thursday. Yet, head coach Talha Jubair deserves credit for guiding a team lacking star power to the penultimate hurdle, marking another chapter in the former national pacer's coaching journey. The 39-year-old spoke to The Daily Star's Samsul Arefin Khan about why he prefers being a bowling coach, the evolution of Bangladesh's pace bowling and more. Here are the excerpts from the interview:
The Daily Star (DS): It must be difficult to get over such a heartbreaking defeat to Chittagong Kings.
Talha Jubair (TJ): What I felt was that we were kind of relaxed after Chittagong lost a couple of quick wickets. Jason Holder then conceded a six and a four in the 18th over. If we had 30 runs to defend in the last over, we could have bowled the 19th over with Musfik [Hasan] and kept the last over for Hasan [Mahmud]. But when it required only 21 runs, [Mehedi] Miraz didn't take that risk… I'm not blaming anyone. The way our players played in the tournament, I'm so proud of them.
DS: At one stage, it looked like you guys wouldn't be able to make the playoffs. Then you won back-to-back matches to reach the knockouts and also beat Rangpur Riders in the Eliminator. What was the team's mindset during that phase?
TJ: Actually, we never thought of losing the game against Rangpur. The way we batted, especially [Mohammad] Naim, was absolutely awesome. In the Eliminator, if I told you that we planned to beat Rangpur in a similar way, I would be lying. When I heard that Sunil [Narine] didn't come and Iftikhar [Ahmed] wasn't playing, I became confident but the way we beat them, I couldn't even have imagined.
DS: Can you describe your coaching journey so far?
TJ: I couldn't lengthen my career as it should have gone. That disappointment will remain until my death. So my main purpose right now is to help produce more pace bowlers for Bangladesh.
My wife has sacrificed a lot to help me take up coaching as a profession. Khaled Mahmud Sujon bhai gave me a big break by allowing me to work with Dhaka Dynamites when I had just come into coaching. I also worked for Abahani in the same year as a bowling coach. Then Sujon bhai made me the head coach of Shinepukur Cricket Club for the next season [leading to a surprising fourth-place finish in Dhaka Premier League]. I also worked as the head coach of Dhaka Metro. Then I got U-19 responsibilities. I feel so proud that I'm living my dream of working with the pacers.
If anyone proposes that I become a head coach and another offers me the role of bowling coach, I may choose the second option. I prefer being a bowling coach because I own that place.
DS: Has your disappointment from your playing days subdued to some extent now that you're in coaching?
TJ: To be honest, it has reduced quite a bit. But when players like Nahid [Rana], Ripon [Mondol], Ashikur Zaman, Musfik, Shoriful [Islam], Khaled [Ahmed], and even Taskin [Ahmed] play really well, I feel so proud. When I was playing for Dhaka Metro, I got to know Taskin. I found him so vibrant and aggressive, just like my younger days, and I saw a similar mentality in him. When he was off-form, we discussed so many things regarding his bowling.
In this year's U-19 Asia Cup as well, our pacers bowled exceptionally well. The more pace bowlers I produce, the more my disappointment will reduce gradually.
DS: What are the differences you see in current pacers compared to your generation or before?
TJ: I think currently, players face pressure situations more than at any other time, and that improves their game sense. That's why they think about the game so much, because they know that without work ethic and hard work, they can't reach the next level.
