Mohammad Ashraful, who became the highest run-getter for Bangladesh in Tests, on Tuesday said a pep talk from Sachin Tendulkar before the start of the second Test actually spurred him to reach the landmark.
"Before the match, I sought some advice from Tendulkar and he told me that I should not have any inferiority complex about my abilities. That helped a lot to improve my confidence," the 20-year-old Ashraful said on his rollicking 158 not out at the M A Aziz stadium in Chittagong this week.
The right handed batsman's score was the highest individual score by a Bangladeshi but the hosts crashed to their 31st defeat in 34 matches following a second innings self destruction when they were all out for 124 in less than 27 overs.
Ashraful, who became the youngest to score a century on debut at the age of 16 in 2001 against Sri Lanka, said Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting were his favourite batsmen.
"I like the way they play the pull shots," said the youngster who, like his idols, is also short statured and measures 5'3".
Ashraful also played the pull shots to such stunning effect that it left the Indian new ball bowlers Irfan Pathan and Zaheer Khan in a daze.
Ashraful, who displayed amazing skill in countering Pathan's lethal inswingers, revealed that he made a calculated assault on Zaheer.
"Irfan and Harbhajan bowled a lot of loose balls but I was actually having trouble in playing Zaheer. So I thought I would take some risks and if I succeeded in hitting him for a six it would demoralise him," he said.
That pull shot off his hips to perch the delivery from the Baroda pacer bowled around the stumps would sure be remembered for some years.
Ashraful rated his second Test hundred higher than the first he scored on debut.
"In Sri Lanka the wicket was a better one to bat on, and then I was up against only two quality bowlers," he said.
It had taken three years for Ashraful to score his second ton but Bangladeshis never doubted his potential.
Aminul Islam, whose 145 against the Indians in the inaugural Test of 2000 was till yesterday the highest by any Bangladeshi batsman, congratulated him from Sydney, where he is based now.
"I would have loved anybody in the team going past my mark but the fact that Ashraful did it, fills my heart with special joy," Islam told a local daily.
"I have seen him grow up in front of my eyes and I never had any doubt about the talent he possesses. I believe he will be the first Bangladeshi batsman to score a double hundred."
Ashraful became an instant hero after his century on maiden Test appearance but he still has no commercial contracts. Bangladesh being a small market, multinationals have little presence. The lone product he endorsed was the Indian brand of "Priya Biscuits", a year ago.
But then that has helped him to lead a 'normal' life. He still relishes aloo samosas when he goes out with his friends in the evenings.
His house in Bashabo, Dhaka, is located in a low lying area. When he returned from the Asia Cup tournament in Sri Lanka this year, he saw his house submerged in water and had to use the boat.
