BCB has announced a 15-member Bangladesh squad for the two-Test series against the West Indies, keeping Najmul Hossain as captain. Due to a finger injury, Mushfiqur Rahim is not in the squad. Off-spinner Nayeem Hasan and pacer Khaled Ahmed, who played in the last Test against South Africa, have been left out. Taskin Ahmed, Zakir Ali, and Shariful Islam have made their returns to the team.
Taking into account the conditions in the West Indies, the selection committee has decided to include four pacers by bringing back Taskin and Shariful alongside Hasan Mahmud and Nahid Rana from the last Test squad. Taskin was rested for the home Test series against South Africa, while Shariful played in the National League. Chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain explained, “They weren’t included as part of workload management, but now they’re back in the team.”
Mahidul Islam made his Test debut against South Africa in Chattogram when Zakir Ali was ruled out last minute due to a concussion. For the West Indies tour, both players are in the squad. Commenting on this, the chief selector said, “We won’t have Mushfiq due to his injury, and it might take some more time for him to recover. Mahidul has been performing well in the National League, and he’s getting rewarded for it.”
The Test series against the West Indies will mark the end of Bangladesh’s current cycle in the ICC Test Championship. After the ongoing Afghanistan series in the UAE, Bangladesh’s red-ball cricketers will depart for the West Indies, while others will join from Dhaka. White-ball cricketers are expected to return home before joining the team.
Bangladesh Test Squad for the West Indies Tour
Najmul Hossain (Captain), Shadman Islam, Mahmudul Hasan, Zakir Hasan, Mominul Haque, Mahidul Islam, Litton Das, Zakir Ali, Mehidy Hasan Miraz (Vice-Captain), Taijul Islam, Shariful Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Nahid Rana, Hasan Mahmud, Hasan Murad.
