The B'desh pacer, who rescued his team from a difficult position in the first Test, said he was not disappointed at missing out on his maiden Test century.
CHITTAGONG: Bangladesh pacer Mashrafe Mortaza on Monday said the inclusion of Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly had made a big difference to the Indian team playing the first Test here.
When asked to compare the Indian ODI side with the Test team, Mortaza said, "Definitely; when Sachin and Sourav are in the team, there is a big change".
Mortaza, who shone with the bat to rescue his team from a difficult position in their first innings on the fourth day, said he was not disappointed at missing out on his maiden Test century.
"No, I am not disappointed. The main thing is that my team has recovered a lot from the situation it was in," Mortaza told reporters after the day's play.
He said there was a chance for him to score a hundred but things became tough after Shahadat Hossain got out as the ninth batsman.
Having rescued his side with a 77-run partnership with Hossain, Mortaza felt that the match was still open.
"Till now it cannot be said as about hundred overs remain to be bowled. The first task for us is to bowl well so that their run rate remains slow."
Despite his impressive knock, Mortaza said he still considered bowling as his main job in the team.
"Actually as of now, I want to concentrate more on bowling. I have to improve my bowling further. However, I will try as and when the team needs."
Mortaza and Hossain, who came together with Bangladesh at 149 for 8, decided to first try to save the follow on and then play ball by ball.
"We had resolved that whether we succeed or not, we won't give in without a fight".
Asked what coach Dav Whatmore told the team during the tea break, when the hosts were still 28 runs away from making India bat again, Mortaza said, "When I was coming out of the dressing room after tea, he said 'make your fifty and save the team from follow-on'".
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}