Officials from the Bangladesh Cricket Board stated on Monday that they will decide after a medical evaluation whether or not Shakib Al Hasan can play in the Kanpur Test. Shakib sustained a finger injury while batting in Chennai during the first Test against India. Shakib required medical attention after being struck by a Jasprit Bumrah delivery.
“We are heading to Kanpur tomorrow (Tuesday), and today is a day off. We will have two sessions afterward and we will judge after that (regarding Shakib’s availability in the second Test), and we don’t want to make a decision yet,” a representative of the BCB’s selection committee, Hannan Sarkar, informed reporters in Chennai on Monday.
“These two days, the physio has kept him under observation. When we get back to the ground, we will get the physio’s feedback. We have to think before picking Shakib for the next match, and there is time before the next match. We will see what condition he is in,” he said.
Najmul Hossain, the captain of Bangladesh, dismissed concerns over the left-arm spinner’s injury and stated that they did not utilize Shakib as a bowler since he thought others were doing well. Hannan agreed, clarifying that Shakib was not dealing with a finger ailment prior to the first Test.
“We know the pain in his hand is being discussed. It was not there before the match and many have tried to explain it in different ways. But before the match, we got a 100 percent clearance from the physio before taking him. He was a 100 percent fit then,” said Hannan.
“You can’t say it’s an injury. The discomfort he felt in that finger was not there before the match. He felt that when he started to bowl,” he said.
The second test is set to begin on Friday, September 27 at Green Park, Kanpur. India would be eager to win the test and seal the series to bag some crucial WTC points. While Bangladesh would be hoping to repeat what they did in Pakistan a few weeks back.
