Bangladesh suffered a stiff opening to the series in India, as India gave them a crushing defeat by 280 runs at Chennai. Everything now lies in the second Test at Kanpur and have lost the services of team star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan after he suffered from a finger injury while batting in the Chennai Test by a blow from Jasprit Bumrah.
However, the injury has raised an alarm because Shakib is a key player in Bangladesh’s team balance. Meanwhile, selectors are yet to criticize despite criticisms that have been gushing in lately.
Ashiful Hannan, the selector, said while talking to *The Daily Star*, “Shakib is our best player.” When asked about Shakib’s batting, he came in defence of the performance. He said when Shakib is there in the playing XI, selection becomes easier for the team.
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Shakib’s approach earns praise as well, as Hannan spoke about how he is so confident at the crease despite not getting big scores. Shakib scored 32 and 25 runs in the two innings, and also bowled a few overs but could not do much throughout the match.
Bangladesh ace all-rounder #ShakibAlHasan had suffered a finger issue which did not allow him to bowl much in the Chennai Test where Bangladesh suffered a 280-run loss.#Sports #Cricket https://t.co/eib712fClb
— The Daily Star (@dailystarnews) September 23, 2024
Hannan emphasized that Shakib showed no signs of discomfort before the match, and the injury occurred during the Test itself. “We always consider carefully before selecting Shakib. His condition will be reassessed before the next match in Kanpur. There was no pain in his hand prior to the Chennai Test, and we received full clearance from the physio before including him in the lineup,” explained Hannan.
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Shakib Ali is surely going to be a great morale booster for Bangladesh ahead of the second Test. He is one of the experienced lot who would make all the difference in an all-around performance when the Indian team goes high on their horses. Bangladesh will need to repair quickly if they want to redeem their achievements at the Kanpur showdown.
