"He isn't in form" - Bangladesh selector concerned by Shakib Al Hasan's batting form ahead of IND vs BAN Test series
Bangladesh selector Hannan Sarkar has expressed concern about Shakib Al Hasan's form with the bat in the build-up to the high-profile Test series in India. However, Sarkar reckons that given the veteran's stature in international cricket, it is only a matter of time before he gets back among the runs.
Shakib, the second-most experienced player in Bangladesh's Test squad for the India tour, struggled with the bat during the Pakistan tour, making scores of 15, 2, and 21*. The left-handed batter's last half century in Test cricket came in April 2023 against Ireland in Mirpur.
During a press conference on Thursday, Hannan Sarkar stated that Test cricket allows batters time to regain their form and momentum, unlike limited-overs formats. He said:
"Shakib is not in rhythm. Form is very important, and he isn’t in form. But in Test cricket, you get time to return to form. In T20Is and ODIs, you don’t get enough time as batters need to get on with it quickly. I believe that given the stature of Shakib as a player, it’s only a matter of time before he gets back to form."
The former Bangladesh captain played a solitary game for Surrey in the County Championship and took a staggering nine wickets against Somerset. However, he managed only 12 runs, including a duck in the fourth innings as Somerset won by 111 runs.
"We had taken five pacers to Pakistan, but this time, we've reduced the number of pacers" - Bangladesh selector
Sarkar addressed Shoriful Islam's exclusion, claiming that his groin injury rendered him unavailable for the tour. He added that wicketkeeper-batter Jaker Ali has been selected, keeping in mind the conditions in India.
"Shoriful can't be considered fully fit at the moment. He was unfit during the second Test in Pakistan, which is why he wasn't part of the selection process. However, he has been kept under follow-up, and the physios and trainers are monitoring him. Regarding Jaker Ali Anik, we considered both the conditions and the opposition. We had taken five pacers to Pakistan, but this time, we've reduced the number of pacers by one and added a middle-order specialist batter."
The opening Test between Bangladesh and India will be contested in Chennai from September 19.