Zakher Ali Onik Impresses Power-Hitting Coach Julian Wood at Sylhet Camp

Young wicketkeeper-batter Jaker Ali has caught the eye of Bangladesh’s power-hitting coach Julian Wood during the Sylhet conditioning camp. Known for his big-shot ability, confidence, and dedication at the crease, Jaker has left a lasting impression on the English coach.

Jaker ’s journey from playing alongside his childhood friend Zakir Hasan in age-group cricket to making it to the national team has been far from easy. Yet, through consistent performances at every level, he has emerged as a key figure in Bangladesh cricket, particularly for his power-hitting capabilities.

From Age-Group Cricket to National Team

Both Jaker and Zakir, sharing the wicketkeeper-batter role, trained and played together through the youth ranks. While Zakir opens the batting, Zakher often bats in the middle order. Early in his career, Jaker lagged behind Zakir in batting skills, a gap first noted in 2016 when both joined the Sylhet divisional team camp. Initially overlooked in favor of Zakir, Jaker focused on improving his batting, even playing outside Sylhet to sharpen his skills and notch up several centuries.

His breakthrough came when he finally secured a spot in the Sylhet team, scoring a fifty on debut and signaling the start of a promising first-class career. Since then, he has consistently excelled in both batting and wicketkeeping across domestic competitions, earning a reputation as a reliable performer in four-day, one-day, and T20 formats.

Shining in International Cricket

Jaker made a stunning impression in his first T20I for Bangladesh against Sri Lanka, smashing 68 off 34 balls, including six sixes — the highest individual T20I score by a Bangladeshi batter at the time. Despite Bangladesh losing the match, his innings drew widespread attention.

In Tests, Jaker has scored 337 runs in six matches at an average of 30, while in 10 ODIs, he has accumulated 366 runs at an average of 45, including three fifties. But it is in T20 cricket that his power-hitting shines, having already cleared the ropes 37 times, surpassing records previously held by Bangladesh’s cricketing icon Mushfiqur Rahim.

Julian Wood’s Stamp of Approval

Recognizing his talent, Bangladesh’s power-hitting coach Julian Wood has singled out Jaker Ali as a standout performer at the Sylhet camp ahead of the Netherlands series. Speaking at the camp, Wood said, “Jaker has the ability to power-hit. He can clear the boundary and now it’s about executing it consistently.”

Wood also shared insights about introducing training tools like the sledgehammer for power-hitting practice. “I once demonstrated its use toJaker . While it wasn’t officially part of training then, it showed him how to apply different techniques. Moving forward, it can definitely be incorporated into his sessions,” he explained.

Rising Despite Challenges

Jaker ’s rise hasn’t been smooth. Despite scoring three consecutive centuries in first-class cricket, he initially missed out on national selection due to the competition from established wicketkeeper-batters like Liton Das, Nurul Hasan Sohan, and Mushfiqur Rahim. However, he remained patient, waiting for his opportunity — which came in 2024 against Sri Lanka. In that match, he outperformed Liton Das in the playing XI with a blistering 68 off 34 balls, hitting four fours and six sixes.

Since then, Jaker has become synonymous with explosive batting and has cemented his reputation as a ‘power-hitter.’ With Julian Wood now mentoring him, the young batter is set to refine his skills even further, aiming to dominate at the international stage.