Bangladesh’s star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan’s participation in the upcoming second Test against India remains uncertain due to a finger injury he sustained during the first Test match. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is awaiting medical evaluations before making a final decision on his availability.
The second and final Test of the series is set to begin on September 27 in Kanpur. Shakib injured his finger while facing a sharp delivery from India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah in the first Test.
Hannan Sarkar, a member of BCB’s selection panel, addressed the media in Chennai yesterday and discussed Shakib’s injury status. He explained that the decision on Shakib’s inclusion would be made after two practice sessions.
‘We don’t want to make a decision yet’ – Hannan Sarkar on Shakib Al Hasan
“We are heading to Kanpur tomorrow (Tuesday) and today is a day off. We will have two sessions afterwards, and we will judge after that (regarding Shakib’s availability in the second Test). We don’t want to make a decision yet,” said Sarkar.
He further shared that Shakib remains under observation by the team physio, who will provide feedback before the final call is made.
“These two days, the physio has kept him under observation. We’ll get the physio’s feedback once back on the ground. We need to assess before picking Shakib for the next match,” Sarkar added.
Shakib’s potential absence is a significant blow for Bangladesh, who need a win in the second Test to level the series and maintain their hopes of qualifying for the World Test Championship final in 2023-25.
