Shakib Al Hasan asks BCB to not consider him for Sri Lanka Tests - Reports
Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan's international sabbatical will continue as he is set to miss the upcoming two-match Test series against Sri Lanka. It is to be noted that he was not named in the white-ball squads for the away tour as well.
Shakib, who had recently relinquished his captaincy responsibilities to Najmul Hossain Shanto, was battling a finger injury and a persistent eye issue since the latter stages of the 2023 ODI World Cup. He was not part of the home and away series against New Zealand and made his return at the 2024 Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).
Although the ace all-rounder struggled immensely in terms of batting due to his eye issue, for which a conservative mode of treatment was recommended by the specialists, he returned to his best in the second half of the tournament.
Shakib has recorded two fifties across his last six outings, with the lowest score being 24 runs. He only managed to score four runs from the first three matches but is now the 11th-highest run-scorer with 249 runs in 11 contests.
The Rangpur Riders are currently on top of the league and have secured a place in the playoffs.
"He (Shakib) wanted a break from the entire series against Sri Lanka as he didn't want to take part in international cricket. I think his eyes are fine at the moment but I feel he wants a break so that he can come back to international cricket fully fit," BCB's cricket operation chairman Jalal Yunus told Cricbuzz.
Shakib's last Test appearance came against Ireland at home in April 2023, where he scored a fifty and claimed a couple of wickets.
Shakib Al Hasan likely to feature in the Dhaka Premier League
Having only played the shortest format since the culmination of the 2023 ODI World Cup, Shakib Al Hasan will be looking to transition into the 50-over format by partaking in the upcoming Dhaka Premier League for the Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club. The tournament is set to start on March 9.
The southpaw could potentially feature in the home series against Zimbabwe a couple of months from now, in a bid to prepare himself for the 2024 T20 World Cup, scheduled to take place in the Caribbean and the United States of America (USA) in June.