Bangladesh have announced their squad for the T20 series against India. However, all-rounder, Mohammad Saifuddin has been ruled out due to a persistent back injury, informed the Bangladesh Cricket Board on Thursday. Due to the back injury, he has earlier missed a couple of big matches, including their crucial match against Australia at Nottingham during the ICC World Cup. Following that, he also missed the three-match One Day International series in Sri Lanka and T20 tri-series against Afghanistan and Zimbabwe in September. However, multiple scans have suggested that he needs more time to recover, the BCB said.

“Due to a reoccurring back injury Saif(uddin) will be rested from the India tour this year giving him an opportunity to consolidate his recovery over a longer period of time,” said national team physiotherapist Julian Calefato in statement. “He now will also have the opportunity to spend more time strengthening his body and his situation will be reviewed by the medical team again in the upcoming weeks for further updates,” he added.

Selector Habibul Bashar, however, said that there was no decision taken on a replacement for the all-rounder.

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“If the team management wants, we will send a replacement. Since India is a neighbouring country we can send replacement anytime,” Bashar said.

Bangladesh are expected to come to India on 30 October while the first Twenty20 Internationals will be held in Delhi on 3 November. Although the series was in doubt as the players were on the strike for better pay and benefits. However, they called off the strike late Wednesday as the cricket board accepted nearly all of their demands.