"I am thinking whether I will play Tests again or even if I play, how will I play" - Shakib Al Hasan
Premier Bangladeshi all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan feels it's "close to impossible" for him to play in all three formats in the future. He admitted that red-ball cricket will suffer the brunt of bio-bubble fatigue and the time he needs for his young family.
Speaking to TV channel NTV on Thursday, the 34-year-old said he's contemplating if and how he will play Test cricket again. Shakib also defended his decision to pull out of Bangladesh's two-Test tour of New Zealand, saying setting out 40-42 days for the series encouraged him to be more selective.
Shakib said:
''I know what [format] is important for me and I know what [format] should get the preference. Right now time has come when I am thinking about Test cricket and whether I will play Tests again or even if I play, how will I play. When you play two Tests in 40 to 42 days, it cannot be fruitful so certainly it encourages playing selective matches. I am not saying that I will retire from Test but it can happen that I am not playing T20s after the 2022 World Cup and at that point I might play one-day and Test. But continuing three formats together is almost close to impossible."
Shakib added that he will discuss his future with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) soon. He said:
''I have to plan well about it with BCB and after doing that moving forward would be an intelligent move. So if I can plan by January I will know what is happening for the whole year."
Shakib Al Hasan, Andre Russell and Sam Billings will be playing for Barishal team in BPL 2022. (Source -Bdcrictime)
Shakib was granted a leave from the tour by the the BCB citing "personal reasons". He last played a Test against Pakistan in Mirpur in early December, with Bangladesh losing the contest by an innings and eight runs.
"Remaining in quarantine is like staying in jail" - Shakib Al Hasan
Most player of the match awards in international cricket in 2021:
๐ง๐ฉ Shakib Al Hasan - 6
๐ต๐ฐ Mohammad Rizwan - 5
Most player of the series awards in international cricket in 2021:
๐ต๐ฐ Mohammad Rizwan - 5
๐ง๐ฉ Shakib Al Hasan - 3
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Shakib also expressed his apprehensions with quarantine, likening it to jail. He said cricket boards need to find "some other way" as bio-bubbles are not the "best solution". Shakib added:
"Remaining in quarantine is like staying in jail, but in jail at least you can talk with someone... Look New Zealand did not send their team to the Under-19 World Cup considering mental health. What I feel is that corona is not going away quickly and we have to live with it. So we have to find some other way. Probably quarantine or bio bubble is not the best solution."
The all-rounder, who plays in T20 leagues around the world, concluded by saying that he doesn't want his family to go through the "unhealthy situation" prompted by quarantine. Shakib said:
''When you have three small children and you cannot give time and suddenly you meet them for eight to 10 days and then again you are away for couple of months and again you meet for 15 days it's a very unhealthy situation and I feel it will leave an impact on their growth. I don't want them to go through it."
The first Bangladesh-New Zealand Test will commence on New Year's at Bay Oval.