Mushfiqur Rahim - Vice-captaincy

Vice-captaincy

Rahim was appointed vice-captain for Bangladesh's tour of Zimbabwe in August 2009. The position was vacated as the previous holder, Shakib Al Hasan, was filling-in as captain for the injured Mashrafe Mortaza. Bangladesh won the five match ODI series4–1, and in the final fixture Rahim scored 98, beating his previous highest score in list A matches of 58, to help his team to victory. With 169 runs in the series at an average of 56.33, Rahim was Bangladesh's fourth-highest run scorer.

Rahim retained the vice-captaincy for the Home Test Series against India in January and February 2010, and on 21 January, the fifth day of the first Test, he scored his maiden Test century and the fastest by a Bangladeshi in Test cricket, off only 112 balls as Bangladesh delayed an Indian victory, being the last man out as India won by 113 runs. England toured Bangladesh in February and March for two Tests and three ODIs. Bangladesh lost all five match. Rahim at least had a successful series and was his team's second-highest run-scorer in the ODIs and Tests. Rahim scored two half-centuries in the first Test, becoming the 6th Bangladesh batsman to perform the feat. Having impressed at home, Rahim's performance in the return tour in England in May was expected to be crucial to how well Bangladesh performed. In the event, he could manage just 40 runs from two Tests as Bangladesh's batsmen struggled in English conditions and slumped to a 2–0 defeat. The teams were due to face each other in a three-match ODI series after the Tests. In the first fixture Rahim was struck in the face while keeping wicket to spinner Faisal Hossain. An x-ray revealed no fractures, however as a precaution he was rested for a week, missing the rest of the series.

At the start of November, the BCB announced 16 central contracts. Rahim was one of six players in the top level. Later that month, Rahim recorded his best score in a one day match. Playing for Rajshahi in the National Cricket League, he scored 114 from 120 deliveries as his team lost by 8 runs. In December 2010, Tamim Iqbal replaced Rahim as Bangladesh's vice-captain. Rahim was included in Bangladesh's 15-man squad for the 2011 World Cup. Bangladesh were knocked out in the group stage and Rahim had a poor tournament personally. There were suggestions that he could be dropped, especially as fellow wicket-keeper Dhiman Ghosh was scoring heavily in Bangladesh's domestic competition. In August 2011, Mushfiqur hit 101 from 100 balls having his second century against Zimbabwe was not enough to stop Bangladesh losing the third one-day series by five runs.