BCB announces squad for India Tests, uncapped Jaker replaces Shoriful

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has announced a 16-member squad for the two-match Test series against India.

Left-arm pacer Shoriful Islam has been left out of the squad due to groin injuries he picked up during the Pakistan series and is yet to recover.

Besides, uncapped wicketkeeper-batter Jaker Ali has been called up in the squad for the first time for his first class credentials. BCB announced the squad on Thursday.

Jaker Ali has played 17 matches for Bangladesh in T20I and 49 first class matches. He has scored 2,862 runs with four centuries at an average of 41.47 in first class cricket.

He played an innings of 172 runs in the second warm-up match against Pakistan A team last month.

Shoriful informed the team management about discomfort in his groin after the first Test in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. After the medical tests, the left-handed pacer was diagnosed with an injury.

Speaking about the injury, national team physio Bayjedul Islam said, “It usually takes 10 days to recover from these injuries. He has started the rehabilitation process.”

Shoriful was supposed to recover in the first week of September but that did not happen. As a result, the Tigers are going to miss the services of one of the team’s best pacers in this all important series.

There are now four pacers in the Test squad as a batter has been included in the place of Shoriful.

The pacers are - Nahid Rana, Hasan Mahmud, Khaled Ahmed and Taskin Ahmed. Taijul Islam, Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Shakib Al Hasan are the spinners. Nayeem Hasan is also going with the squad as an additional spinner.

There is no change in the batting department from the last tour to Pakistan. Opener Mahmudul Hasan, who could not play in the tour due to injuries, has been included in the squad for the tour of India.

Currently, Bangladesh team is in a great rhythm as they won the Test series against Pakistan by 2-0 at their home ground a few days ago.

The Tigers beat Pakistan in the first test by 10 wickets and won the second test by 6 wickets.

Najmul Hossain-led squad will leave Dhaka for India on 15 September. They will play a two-match Test series and three T20I matches there. The first Test will begin in Chennai on 19 September.

Squad:

Najmul Hossain (capt), Shadman Islam, Zakir Hasan, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Littoh Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Jaker Ali, Taskin Ahmed, Nahid Rana, Hasan Mahmud, Taijul Islam, Mahmudul Hasan, Nayeem Hasan, Khaled Ahmed