The Bangladesh Cricket Board has officially announced the 16-member squad that will be representing the nation in the highly anticipated Test series against India. Leading the Bangla Tigers in this crucial 2-match series will be Najmul Hossain Shanto, with the first match set to commence on September 19. The squad selected for this series closely resembles the one that achieved a historic series victory over Pakistan just a week ago.
One notable addition to the team is opening batter Mahmadul Hasan Joy, who is making his return to the Test side after missing out on the Pakistan series due to a groin injury. Joy's recovery took approximately two weeks, and he is now ready to contribute to the team's success against India.
Unfortunately, left-arm seamer Shoriful Islam's struggles with injuries persist, leading to his exclusion from the series against India due to a groin issue. Despite his impressive performance in the opening Test against Pakistan, where he claimed three wickets including that of Babar Azam, Islam was forced to sit out the second Test due to his injury. In his place, the experienced Khaled Ahmed has been called up to the Test side as a replacement for the injured Islam.
"Left-arm paceman Shoriful Islam is still recovering from a groin injury and was unavailable for the series," the Bangladesh Cricket Board said after naming a 16-member squad for the India tour.
In a significant development, Jaker Ali Anik has received his first Test call-up for the Bangladesh national team. The 26-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman is the sole uncapped player in the Test squad, despite having represented the nation in 17 T20Is. This marks a notable milestone in Jaker Ali Anik's career, as he prepares to make his debut in the longest format of the game.
Bangladesh is looking to build confidence from their recent victory on Pakistani soil as they prepare for the upcoming series against India. However, the formidable experience and star power of the Indian team could present a significant challenge for the Bangla Tigers.
Bangladesh's squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (Captain), Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Kumar Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Nahid Rana, Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed, Syed Khaled Ahmed, Jaker Ali
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