Bangladesh’s spin coach, Mushtaq Ahmed, wants Rishad Hossain to play in Tests as well. He said Rishad’s height and bounce may bring an advantage for him.

Rishad bagged six wickets in the first ODI against West Indies, which helped the home side to win the match by a big margin despite having a below-par total on the board.

It was only the first Time when a right-arm spinner bagged a five-wicket haul in an ODI for Bangladesh. He eventually ended up taking six wickets.

After his debut, Rishad became a regular face in Bangladesh’s white-ball set-up.

Now, the discussion has started on whether he can translate his white-ball success into Tests too.

“He’s 100 percent capable of playing Test cricket,” the former Pakistan leg spinner said on Sunday in Mirpur ahead of the second ODI. “Even in Australia or England, where tailenders can bat well, they still struggle against quality leg spin. With Rishad’s height and bounce, he can be even more effective in red-ball cricket.”

Despite his promise, Rishad’s exposure to longer formats has been limited. Since his first-class debut in 2018, he has played only 21 matches, taking 31 wickets.

Last season, he featured in two National Cricket League games for Rangpur and claimed five wickets.

“He knows the more he bowls with the red ball, the better he’ll become. Even though he’s not in the Test setup yet, he should be,” Mushtaq added.

Bangladesh’s spin department has long relied on finger spinners like Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam. Mushtaq believes adding Rishad’s leg spin to the mix could give Bangladesh the variety they have long lacked.