The pace battery of Bangladesh have a great contribution to their striking success along with their meteoric surges in games especially in one day and Test cricket.

They have such fast bowler in the line-up who could trouble the opponent batsmen with sheer speed or beat them with swing.

Pace sensation Taskin Ahmed and sling master Rubel Hossain are such bowlers in Bangladesh team, the duo who will bowl against the Proteas’ batsmen with the same pace of the cutter master Mustafizur Rahman.

Rubel and Taskin appeared in Mirpur to hone their skills and bowling variations what they have in their stocks for the last day before flying for the South Africa.

Bangladesh, splitting into two groups, will take off for Benoni, wherein they will face off Cricket South Africa Invitational XI at the Willowmoore Park ground on September 21 before going into the Test series.

Though the series will be challenging for them, the pace duo thought that they know well what they have done on that pace and bouncy wicket condition in Africa.    

“The tour to South Africa is really challenging. The challenge is not only for me but for the team also. We all know that the wickets in South Africa are pace-friendly. We’ve set our mindset in that vein. Along with that, we’ve taken our preparation how we have to bowl and bat on that bouncy and pace-supported deck,” said Rubel Hossain, who represented Bangladesh in 24 Tests, 77 one-day internationals coupled with 14 T20Is so far after being fast-tracked in international arc in 2009.

“If you look at our team then you must see that our batsmen really batted well at ICC Champions Trophy in England and last ICC World Cup in Australia-New Zealand conditions. So I think our batsmen don’t face off big problem to bat in South Africa,” Rubel told reporters on the BCB-National Cricket Academy (NCA) premises after his individual practice session.

“We’ll get some more times to make our adjustment. We have practice matches before going into the main series. So our batsmen will get also more times to make their habituation. Even we, the bowlers, who are in the team will get enough time to understand the wicket and condition. So, we are taking our mental preparation in that way” he added.

Both Rubel and Taskin have set their individual target what they want to claim in their respective way. Taskin seeks to be the highest wicket-taker in the tour, while Rubel wants to bowl well and take up the wicket of Hashim Amla if he does it he will be happy.

“I’m working hard in practice session. Regularly I’m doing my gym and focus more on my fitness. Of course, I’ve done many works on my bowling how I could maintain line and length for the longer period. I’m working on my swing,” the experienced pacer said, adding: “Mainly we all know that there will have edges for pace bowlers in South African conditions. We have to bowl with much concentration. We, the pace bowlers, became excited to see the grassy wickets. So, we have to pay more attention because maintaining line and length are important on grassy wickets.”

“There are four to five batsmen in South African team who in the top ten of the world rankings. Every wicket of them is very important for us to take. But I’ll feel better if I could take the wicket of Hashim Amla,” he thought.

“Of course, I accept the matter. If I am fit and sound I could perform better. As I am touring to South Africa I’ve enormous self-confidence that I could fare well in this tour.”

“If I get chance to bowl, I will then try to bowl well and give breakthrough for the team. I’m ready to fight for the team. When captain will tell me to bowl I’ll since give my hundred percent,” he told.

When asked about the absence of Shakib Al Hasan, Rubel said, “Shakib bhai is a vital cricketer in our team. Of course, we all miss him a lot. We’ll miss his batting, bowling. So I think our batsmen have to set their mindset in that manner.”

Bangladesh will tour to South Africa with five fast bowlers what already announced by the selectors. Of them, they will field three to four against the high-ranked Proteas though such instance in not new thing for the Tigers.