‘Shakib, Mustafiz not interested in Tests’

Several senior players like Test team captain Shakib Al Hasan, Rubel Hossain are reluctant to play Test cricket, said Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hassan on Friday.

“There’re a few senior players of our country who are not interested in playing Test cricket. For example, Shakib don’t want to play Tests, Mustafiz too isn’t interested,” he said.

“They don’t directly say that they won’t play, but they try to skip Test matches. There are a few others who are also not interested in playing Test cricket as it is very tough,” Nazmul told newsmen.

Bangladesh was whitewashed by West Indies in the recently completed two-match Test series by wide margins. In one of the matches, Bangladesh made a record, losing all wickets in their lowest ever Test score, 43 runs.

Bangladesh's poor performance in Test cricket has been analysed by the experts as Test is often regarded as the ultimate form of the sport to prove a player’s mettle and aptitude.

Amid this dilemma, the BCB president came up with these remarks. According to him, Test cricket seems very tough to another senior player, Rubel Hossain. “Rubel is vastly experienced. He has been performing for the country for long. Maybe it is becoming tough for him to play Test cricket. We have to induct new players. There’s no other way.”

“I’ve been saying this for the last four years. We need a new set-up in Tests as well as in T20s. There can br two to three common players. Every team has specialists for Test matches but we don’t, except for Mominul Haque. This won’t do. We’ve to prepare five or six players like him,” Nazmul Hassan said.