'Don't kill the goose that lays the golden egg': Bishop urges Tigers to protect 'potential superstar' Nahid Rana

West Indies fast bowling great Ian Bishop has cautioned Bangladesh against mismanaging their prized pace asset Nahid Rana in the pursuit of short-term results, urging the team's medical staff to carefully preserve the "potential superstar of the world game."

"Don't kill the goose that lays the golden egg because you want immediate success," Bishop, who is currently commentating on the ongoing Bangladesh-West Indies series, told reporters at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

Bishop, whose own glittering career was frequently interrupted and eventually cut short by severe stress fractures, stressed the critical need for proper strength and conditioning for the 24-year-old pace sensation.

Rana, who has already turned heads globally by frequently clocking speeds north of 150 kmph, missed out on an opportunity to play in the two-Test series in Australia due to injury, which left the renowned commentator disappointed.

"When you look around the world and see young fast bowlers coming through, Nahid is probably as fast, if not faster, than most," Bishop said. "I was salivating at the prospect of seeing him in Australia on bouncier pitches. So I was disappointed when that [injury absence] happened. But his health is the most important thing. Once that is regained, don't rush him back into international cricket because fast bowling is strenuous on the body."

To ensure Rana's longevity, Bishop pointed to the Australian blueprint of managing premium fast bowlers, emphasising the role of head coach Phil Simmons and the medical staff.

"Some bodies are predisposed to injury more than others. I know that from having stress fractures myself. So you have got to be very careful with your S&C [Strength and Conditioning] guys to make sure they try to bulletproof Nahid Rana with strength work," he explained.

"Australia have been one of the best at monitoring medically Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins post-injury, and Josh Hazlewood, because they're still playing well at 33, 35, 36. Medically preserve him, and at some point, hopefully, his body gets strong enough to withstand the rigors of fast bowling... Every team in the world is looking for a Nahid Rana. So keep him fit."

While Rana represents the ceiling of Bangladesh’s current pace revolution, Bishop is equally impressed by the depth of the Tigers' modern pace battery. The sight of an aggressive slip cordon during Day 2 of the ongoing first Test served as a striking visual of how far the unit has come from the days of relying heavily on spin or isolated quicks.

"We did a recording today of a slip cordon when Hasan Mahmud was bowling -- three slips and a gully. That’s something you would have associated with, let's say, Australia or the old-time West Indies. Now we're seeing it from Bangladesh," Bishop observed. "If you have to win Test matches in the West, you can't just rely on spinners and one quick bowler."

Bishop credited the groundwork laid by former bowling coaches like Ottis Gibson and Shaun Tait, while singling out Hasan Mahmud for his elite control and recent red-ball revitalisation.

"I think Kent benefited from him. It wasn't that Kent made him in County cricket, and I think that point must not be lost. They hired Hasan because he was already a good bowler. It was a quid pro quo," Bishop said, praising the pacer's 'wonderful wobble seam' and ability to consistently hit targeted lines on command.

For Bishop, the ultimate prospect remains seeing Bangladesh's fully fit pace trio operating in tandem. "I can't wait for the day when Taskin [Ahmed], Hasan, and Nahid Rana are able to take the field together again."