Sabbir Rahman’s aggressive approach reminds Nathan Lyon of Virat Kohli

When the boy from Rajshahi came to the crease, Bangladesh were 117-5 with the batting line crumbling under the spell of Nathan Lyon’s brilliant bowling. The right-handed batsman didn’t take time to adjust at all and amidst the continuous sledging by the visitors, played a confident and aggressive knock of 66 runs.

By the time he got dismissed on a Lyon delivery, the Tigers were well past 200 and late resurgent innings by Nasir Hossain saw Bangladesh cross the 300-run mark. Rahman’s attitude and hostile knock have impressed the Australian bowler, who feels he has some ingredients of India skipper Virat Kohli in him.

Speaking after Day 1, about his five-wicket haul, Lyon said, “He's a good player, he reminds me of Virat Kohli. (Kohli) is probably a pretty good role model to have in the subcontinent. That's only on (Sabbir’s) persona out there and the way he walks around the crease and the shots he's played here.”

“We find (Sabbir) doesn't really want to defend, he wants to take the game on and that's brave cricket. He's a good cricketer, we're definitely paying him a lot of respect that's for sure,” added Lyon.

The Barishal Burners player had made his Test debut last year in October against England, where he hogged the limelight with an impressive fourth-innings half-century with all others getting dismissed with him on the pitch at 64 not out. 

That was his highest score until now as he put a crucial sixth-wicket partnership of 105 runs with captain Mushfiqur Rahim to take away the game from Australia’s hands. Rahman reached 50 in a thunderous manner in just 62 balls but could manage just 16 o the next 51 balls before falling to Lyon.