Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe on Wednesday confirmed that star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan is “eligible for selection” for the upcoming second Test match against India in Kanpur.
In the first Test match between India and Bangladesh, the all-rounder bowled seven overs on day three after skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto brought him into the attack, but was hit by Rishabh Pant for six fours and two sixes in a poor spell.
This year has been tough for the 37-year-old, having scored just 295 runs in 18 innings across all formats at an average of 19.66, with one fifty. He has also taken just 18 wickets at an average of 39.88 with the best figures of 4/35.
Murali Karthik, handling the broadcasting duties in the match, was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo that Hasan has had a finger surgery on his bowling finger.
“Having seen him and known him for such a long period of time, I did go up to him and ask the reason why he has not bowled enough. And the thing which he said to me is something I completely resonate with. He has had a finger surgery on his bowling finger, which is the point of his finger of his left hand. It is swollen, it is rigid, there is no movement, no suppleness to it. So he feels he is not getting any feeling out of it. As a spinner you need the feeling.
Also he is having issues with his shoulder so it is a combination of both and it’s tough to bowl in Test cricket where you need that feel as a spinner,” said Karthik.
In the first Test match, the hosts cruised to a momentous 280-run victory at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
Speaking ahead of the second Test match, Hathurusinghe said that he hasn’t heard from my physio or from anyone about Shakib’s injury.
“I haven’t heard anything officially or any complaints (about Shakib). There is no doubt about that at the moment. I haven’t heard from my physio or from anyone. He’s still eligible for selection,” Hathurusinghe was quoted in a release from ESPNcricinfo as saying.
The head coach opened up on Shakib’s performance in the first Test and said that he is not ‘upset’ with the all-rounder’s display in Chennai.
“I’m not. I’m upset not about his performance but our overall performance, we could have done better. I’m sure that he also thinks that he can perform better. We all know what he’s capable of. I think he batted really well in the second innings. He couldn’t go on. Not because of lack of pride. It’s sheer quality of the opposition,” he added.
Bangladesh squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (C), Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Shadman Islam, Mominul
Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Kumer Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Nahid Rana, Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed, Syed Khaled Ahmed, Jaker Ali Anik.
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