Why was Shakib Al Hasan possibly biting his helmet string while batting in IND vs BAN 2024 1st Test?
Veteran Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan was spotted with an eccentric coping mechanism during the recently concluded first Test against India. While batting, he was seen biting his helmet string, leaving fans puzzled.
Theories emerged instantaneously, with some opining that it is being done to maintain focus and stay in the present, while others shrugged it off as superstition. Some even suggested that the thread was not part of the helmet at all and that it served something different entirely.
The commentators noticed the unorthodox behavior as well, with the likes of Tamim Iqbal and Dinesh Karthik guessing what Shakib was trying to achieve with this. They theorized that biting on the thread served something of an internal assurance. If his head is tilting too much while playing, going off balance, the thread would serve as an indicator of the same because it would be tugged at due to the excess movement.
The all-rounder's technique worked to an extent as he played 64 deliveries in the first innings to score 32 runs with five boundaries to his name. He was dismissed after the ball hit his shoe while playing the reverse sweep and lobbed up in the air for Rishabh Pant to claim the catch.
He was seen biting his helmet string during the second innings as well, where he scored 25 runs off 56 deliveries.
"Shakib is doing everything possible to get his form back" - Najmul Hossain Shanto
Shakib has been struggling to score runs since his return to red-ball cricket. He got a couple of starts in the second Test against Sri Lanka at home. In the away series against Pakistan, he scored 38 runs in three innings.
In his one-off appearance for Surrey in the County Championship, the 37-year-old managed only 12 runs across two innings, including a duck.
"As a captain, I focus on how much hard work a player is putting into their game. Shakib is doing everything possible to get his form back. Our fast bowlers were doing a great job, and Miraz was also bowling well. We took six wickets quickly, so I didn't feel the need to use Shakib extensively." Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto said after Bangladesh's 280-run loss in the first Test (via India Today).
The second Test between India and Bangladesh will begin on Friday, September 27 in Kanpur.