India, Nov. 20 -- Resilience and patience. Mushfiqur Rahim has built his 20-year Test career largely on these two virtues. There was no way he was letting go of either on the occasion of his 100th Test. Going to bed at 99*, knowing very well that sleep might desert you and the intention of butterflies trying to harvest in your stomach the next day is not easy. But Mushfiqur feared neither. He has seen it all and more. After all, history and Mushfiqur Rahim are somewhat synonymous in Bangladesh cricket for nothing.

After spending close to 16 hours dreaming of that one elusive run, Mushfiqur played out a maiden at the start of Day 2 in the first Test against Ireland. He was in no hurry, exactly like his former captain Mominul Haque had sai...