Mushfiqur Rahim’s injury sidelines him from the Test series against West Indies, marking a first for Bangladesh without their star trio. Emerging players look to step up.
Mushfiqur Rahim has been excluded from the Bangladesh squad for the upcoming two-Test series against the West Indies due to a finger injury. This marks a significant shift in the team’s composition, as it is the first time in 16 years that Bangladesh will compete in a Test series without the presence of any of their cricketing stalwarts, Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal, or Mushfiqur Rahim.
Mushfiqur Rahim, a seasoned cricketer with 94 Test appearances to his name, has also been dealing with a shoulder injury that he sustained during the Pakistan Test series conducted in August. The finger injury was incurred during the initial One Day International against Afghanistan in Sharjah last week, further complicating his participation. While Rahim’s absence is notable, Tamim Iqbal has not played a Test match since last year and Shakib Al Hasan recently announced his retirement, having intended to conclude his career with a farewell Test in Dhaka, which he could not participate in last month.
In addition to Rahim’s exclusion, Bangladesh has chosen to leave out both Khaled Ahmed and Nayeem Hasan from the squad, but they will welcome back Litton Das, who had missed the second Test against South Africa in Chattogram, as well as three ODIs against Afghanistan due to illness. Despite expressing a desire to step down from the captaincy following the South Africa series, Najmul Hossain Shanto will continue to lead the team. Shanto will have a robust pace attack at his disposal, including key players such as Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam, and Nahid Rana.
To bolster their spin options, uncapped left-arm spinner Hasan Murad has been introduced to the lineup, joining vice-captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam. The team will retain their established top-order batsmen, which includes Shadman Islam, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, and Zakir Hasan. Shanto and Mominul Haque are expected to occupy the No. 3 and No. 4 batting positions, respectively, while Mushfiqur’s previous role behind the stumps and in the batting lineup may fall to either Jaker Ali or Mahidul Islam Ankon. With Litton Das returning as wicketkeeper, he will most likely bat at No. 7 in the lineup.
The Bangladesh cricket team is scheduled to commence their tour with a four-day warm-up match at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua. This will be followed by the first Test match in Antigua, starting from November 22. The second Test will take place in Jamaica, commencing on November 30. After the completion of the Test series, the visitors will continue their tour with three ODIs and an equal number of T20Is; however, the squad for the white-ball matches has not yet been announced.
The Bangladesh Test squad is as follows: Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Shadman Islam, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Mominul Haque, Mahidul Islam Ankon, Litton Das (wicketkeeper), Jaker Ali, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Shoriful Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana, and Hasan Murad.
As the team prepares for this new chapter without their renowned players, it will be essential for the emerging talent and seasoned players to step up and demonstrate their capabilities on the international stage. The coming weeks will be pivotal for Bangladesh cricket, signifying both a challenge and an opportunity as the team strives to adapt and make an impact in the upcoming series against the West Indies.
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