Shakib Al Hasan and Shadman Islam made their anticipated return to the Test squad when the national selectors announced the team for the two-Test series against West Indies, which is scheduled to begin on February 3.
Wicket-keeper batsman Nurul Hasan and pacer Khaled Ahmed, who were part of the preliminary squad, missed the cut.
The selectors had earlier said on multiple occasions that they will pick the Test side on the basis of Bangladesh’s last Test series as no longer version cricket has taken place in the country for more than 10 months.
All 16 players who were called up for the one-off Test against Zimbabwe in February 2020, Bangladesh’s last Test series before the COVID-19 induced sabbatical, retained their spot.
Shakib missed that series as he was serving his one-year ban from the ICC and Shadman was out of contention as the board had sent him to Australia to treat his wrist injury.
Alongside the expected four spin bowling options – Shakib, Taijul Islam, Mehidy Hasan and Nayeem Hasan– the selectors have included five pace bowlers– Mustafizur Rahman, Abu Jayed, Ebadot Hossain, Taskin Ahmed and Hasan Mahmud– in the squad.
Hasan, who made his debut in one-day internationals in the preceding ODI series against West Indies, has a chance to debut for the Tigers in the longest version of the game.
Shakib will also return to Test cricket at the same venue where he played his last Test before getting banned, when he led Bangladesh in a shameful 224-run loss against Afghanistan, but will now play under the captaincy of Mominul Haque for the first time.
Squad
Mominul Haque (C), Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan, Najmul Hossain, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mohammad Mithun, Liton Das, Yasir Ali, Saif Hassan, Mustafizur Rahman, Mehidy Hasan, Taijul Islam, Shadman Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Abu Jayed, Ebadot Hossain, Hasan Mahmud. -new age
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