Rishad eager to pick Ponting's brains during maiden BBL stint

Bangladesh legspinner Rishad Hossain is eager to learn from Ricky Ponting as he prepares to feature in the Big Bash League for the Hobart Hurricanes this season. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has granted Rishad a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the entire season of the BBL, which begins on December 14. The legspinner, who just finished a white-ball series against Afghanistan, will thus be available to play the full tournament, according to Cricbuzz.

Rishad was picked by the Hurricanes last season but couldn't take part due to his commitments in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). Despite his absence, the Hurricanes went on to lift their first-ever BBL title. "Ponting was one of my favorite players growing up; I used to watch him play. I'm really looking forward to working with him," Rishad said in a Zoom interaction with reporters on Monday.

"More than the players, I'm looking forward to working with Ricky Ponting and playing under his coaching," he added. Rishad said his decision to play in overseas leagues came from a desire to keep improving himself. "I was asking myself what I could do to improve my game. Then I thought, if I get to play in these leagues, it will benefit me. If you look at it, those matches are held in different venues, my dream grounds to play in," he said. "As a leg-spinner, if I get to play in these foreign leagues, it will be good for me and for my bowling. I'll get opportunities to improve my skills. Yes, foreign leagues offer a lot. Many top players play there, and you get to share the dressing room with them. I hope I'll be able to gather new knowledge and experience from that," he added.