Bangladesh call up Rubel to replace injured Shahid for Australia camp

Paceman Rubel Hossain has replaced injured Mohammad Shahid for Bangladesh's cricket training camp in Australia ahead of their New Zealand tour.

Rubel lost his spot in the team after appearing in two One-Day Internationals against Afghanistan in late September. The selectors were not happy with his performance, reports bdnews24.com.

He also stayed sidelined for the series against England. Chief selector Minhajul Abedin cited lack of form and fitness for his expulsion from the squad. Rubel was then kept as a standby for the Australia camp.

The 26-year-old fast bowler, however, staked his claim for a spot in the squad by doing well for Rangpur Riders in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League, picking up 15 wickets from 12 matches at an average of 21.06 with a best of 3-25.

Shahid picked up a knee injury trying to stop a boundary for Dhaka Dynamites on November 26.

BCB's chief physician Debashish Chowdhury said on Sunday that the pacer would have to rest for a week more and a decision on his treatment would be taken once they reviewed his injury.

A provisional squad will fly to Australia in two contingents on December 9 and 10. After taking part in a training camp in Sydney, the final squad will head for New Zealand on December 18.

The preliminary squad:

Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Mominul Haque, Mahmudullah, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Sabbir Rahman, Soumya Sarkar, Mosaddek Hossain, Nurul Hasan, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Shuvagata Hom Chowdhury, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Taijul Islam, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Shafiul Islam, Subashis Roy, Rubel Hossain, Ebadat Hossain, Tanveer Haider.