I worked seven years without pay to learn this: Zahid Reza Babu

One of the biggest talking points about Bangladesh's poor World Cup campaign has been the amount of cricket they play in Mirpur and the dependence on Mirpur's sticky wicket, which hasn't helped their chances on different wickets in India. 

While the Mirpur wicket has faced criticism, the one in Chattogram has been one that has been batting-friendly.

The man behind curating the pitch is someone who rarely makes the headlines is Zahid Reza Babu. 

"Most people know the faces of the actors but not the faces of the directors and it's something similar with cricketers and pitch curators," he told The Business Standard in an exclusive interview where he spoke about his career and much more.

How long have you been the pitch curator of the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram? 
I've been the pitch curator since 2010.

What are the processes that go into making a cricket pitch?
To make a cricket pitch, you have to take into account a lot of factors. Firstly, the type of soil we have, the weather, and also the grass. Then comes the amount of water you put in and how you roll it. Firstly, let's talk about what a pitch is. It just doesn't have soil but grass and grass is one of the most important things to creating a good pitch. You cannot have a cricket pitch without grass. Due to the humid conditions here, you have to water the pitch accordingly. There is botany and soil science involved here.

What gives a pitch its character, like whether it will help the batters or the bowlers?
There needs to be a drainage system in the pitch and then there are mainly three layers. Before, we used brick strips but now we use stones for the base, four inches. Then in the middle is a sand layer and then you have the top layer which is eight of soil. These things allow the pitch to behave in different ways. Some pitches help the spinners, some help the batters. Our soil generally favours the slower bowlers as we have seen. 

Tell us about how you became a pitch curator.
I was playing club cricket back in 1994 and at that time I thought to myself that I needed to be involved with cricket. From there I started working as an organiser too and that's what got me interested in this so that's how it started.

What were the challenges you faced in this line of work?
For us, we didn't have anyone to help us financially actually. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) didn't have all the finances then. I got involved as a groundstaff at the Bangabandhu stadium in 1998. Back then, I was just happy to be involved. I remember cutting the grass before Bangladesh made their Test debut. It was all voluntary work and I'd just be happy to work for around seven hours preparing the ground.

What kept you motivated and how did your family support you?
The aim was to ensure players from my area and my club got the best support to make the national team. Even if one player made it and I helped play a part, it would have felt like a big deal for me. At the same time, I have to give credit to my family members because they fully supported me in this. I was living with my sister at that time and she always helped me before I found my feet. For seven years I worked for free at that time.

Did you manage to help players break into the national team?
Well, there are quite a few. The first one was Syed Russell. And then there is Mashrafe Mortaza. If he ever writes his autobiography, then my name will also come up. I was like his local guardian when he was a youngster. Still, we keep in touch and have the same good relationship we had back when he was 17 years old.
  
What would your advice be to anyone looking to be in this line of work?
This is not like your regular 9-5 job first of all. There are literally no days off during the season. You have to be present for everything. How the grass is being cut and watered, how many times the roller is being used on the pitch - everything.