Mushfiqur Rahim said he holds no regrets over not being picked to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Rahim, the experienced Bangladeshi batsman, went into the auction ahead of IPL 2020 but found no bid from any of the eight franchises.
However, the 32-year-old isn't at too much pain over that fact as he continues to represent his country at the highest level.
"No, I don't have any regrets," Mushfiqur told Cricbuzz. "I don't think that playing the IPL can be bigger than representing my country.
"I think IPL is definitely one of the biggest T20 leagues in the world and all the top-class players of the world play there."
"So I would've considered myself fortunate enough to play in such a tournament. I could definitely take my game to a higher level, sharing the dressing room with legends."
"If I get an opportunity then, of course, I'll play. And if I don't get then honestly, I will never regret it," he stressed.
Mushfiqur, meanwhile, revisited Bangladesh snatching defeat from the jaws of victory against India in the 2016 T20 World Cup in Bangalore and termed it among his career's biggest disappointments.
"When I got dropped from the national team, and that has been the case for me only once. A lot of the time when you are playing at the top level, you will not get much of an off-season. So you get the chance to work on your own game," he said.
"In that case, you can say I managed a rebirth. Analyzing my own game and practice, the places where I needed to strengthen myself more. I was able to make a comeback again with 200-300 percent strength. Despite the disappointment, you can say it was a big inspiration for me."
"The other disappointments have been the World T20 match against India and the second ODI against the West Indies. If we had won that ODI we would have won the series - although we won the next match, if we could have won that it would have been a white-wash."
On being heavily criticised for skipping the tour of Pakistan because of security concerns, Mushfiqur said it was a personal decision taken out of his experience of surviving the attack on a Mosque in Christchurch last year.
"I feel very bad when someone questions my commitment. I can say with my hand on my heart that not only as a cricketer but also as a human being I have never been dishonest, nor have I ever cheated anyone. It's even more embarrassing when people around you who have shared a dressing room with you say it," he said.
"I said it very clearly. I didn't say at first that I wouldn't go. If we were given instructions from the BCB that everyone should go, then there would have been no question. Since they had given us an option to decide if I want to go or not, it is a personal choice. And the second thing is security."
"I opted out of a lucrative tournament like PSL when I heard from my agent that the whole tournament will take place in Pakistan," Mushfiqur added.
"Earlier it used to be held in Dubai where I gave my name once and played, but when I heard that it would be in Pakistan, it was a no from my side. I still couldn't forget what I faced in New Zealand."
(Inputs from Cricbuzz)
