Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim not in Bangladesh Test squad.
Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim not in Bangladesh Test squad. Image Credit: X

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has disclosed their squad for the upcoming two Test matches against West Indies in the Caribbean, as the former captain and wicket-keeper batter of the side, Mushfiqur Rahim, has been ruled out due to a finger injury, which he picked in the opening ODI of the current series against Afghanistan in Sharjah.

The poster boy of Bangladesh, Shakib Al Hasan, informed his potential farewell Test match against South Africa in Dhaka, but later, due to the political situation of the country, the veteran all-rounder couldn’t make his travel from Dubai. There is no update on his standpoint in the squad for the West Indies series.

The absence of these two means that the Tigers will be going into the red-ball series for the very first time in 16 years without none of Rahim, Shakib, and former opener Tamim Iqbal in the squad.

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The wicket-keeper batter, who has the experience of 94 Test matches, was suffering from a shoulder injury since their away red-ball series against Pakistan in August. He was in great touch in the historic series victory by 0-2 margin, as they got the better of the Shan Masood-led side in the opening Rawalpindi Test on the back of his 191-run knock.

Najmul Hossain Shanto agrees to lead Bangladesh for the Test series

Rahim, however, didn’t enjoy a great time at home against South Africa, having collected only 46 runs in four innings at an average of 11.50, displaying his issues against the spinners in Mirpur and Chattogram.

Bangladesh has also left out their pacer Khaled Ahmed and Nayeem Hasan but will welcome the first-choice wicket-keeper batter Litton Das back into the fold. The 30-year-old missed the second Test against the Proteas, following his absence in the ongoing three ODIs against Afghanistan in Sharjah due to fever.

The Dinajpur-born, who has featured in 46 five-day format games for the national side for just 2700 runs at an average of 34.61 and a strike rate of nearly 60 with 17 half-centuries and four centuries, will add his vast experience in the squad. He also made a huge contribution of 194 runs in just two innings in Pakistan for the series victory, but couldn’t display the same touch in India, failing for 37 runs in four innings.

The reports claimed that the middle-order batter of the side, Najmul Hossain Shanto, informed the Bangladesh selectors of his desire to resign from the leadership. But he has agreed to continue in the role, where he will enjoy a powerful pace attack including Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam, and Nahid Rana.

The selectors have shown faith in their regular top-order batters, Shadman Islam, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, and Zakir Hasan. Islam has struggled with only seven runs in the four innings at home against South Africa, while Zakir clubbed only 55 runs in the last six Test innings.

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They will start their tour with the solitary warm-up game at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua. The first Test will start on November 22 at the Vivian Richards Stadium before they move to Kingston, Jamaica, for the second fixture on November 30. The visitors will play three ODIs and as many T20Is later, none of whose squads have been announced yet.

Bangladesh Squad For 2 Tests vs West Indies

Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Shadman Islam, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Mominul Haque, Mahidul Islam Ankon, Litton Das (wk), Jaker Ali, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Shoriful Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana, Hasan Murad