The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) yesterday announced a 32-member preliminary squad for the upcoming home series against Zimbabwe later this month.
However, according to sources, the three-member national selection panel has already chalked down the final Bangladesh squad for the three-match Test series. It was learned that the final squad was drafted after discussing with the national head coach Chandika Hathurusingha.
Chief of the national selection panel, Faruk Ahmed, explained the reasons behind the announcement of such a long preliminary squad. “We made a big preliminary squad because we plan to draw two teams from it. A national team for the Test series against Zimbabwe and the Bangladesh A team for the tour of Kolkata.”
This indicates that all the cricketers with the exception of the 17 who will be chosen for the Test series will be sent to Kolkata. The Bangladesh A team will participate in the tournament to mark 150 years of Eden Gardens as a cricket ground. The second string national side is likely to comprise new ODI captain Mashrafe bin Mortaza, Nasir Hossain, Abdur Razzak, Anamul Haque and Mohammed Mithun.
On the other hand, juvenile leg-spinner Jubair Hossain might get a national call-up in the final squad for the Test series. The suspension of off-spinner Sohag Gazi coupled with the dismal run of form of veteran spinner Abdur Razzak are said to have brightened the 19-year old Jubair’s prospects. Another spinner Saqlain Sajib also has a good chance of playing some part in the Tests due to his heroic performances against Zimbabwe A at home last month.
As far as getting discarded from the final squad is concerned, Nasir Hossain features on top of the list. Early in his career, the right-handed batsman mesmerised all with his ability to finish a game which rightly earned him the moniker ‘Mr Finisher’. However, a long-running bad patch has put Nasir in the line of fire.
It was learned from a close BCB source that Nasir will be cut off from the final squad for the Test series. “I think his (Nasir) time is finished. There is no more need to carry him around in the national side,” said the source requesting anonymity.
Nasir made his international debut against Zimbabwe in 2011. Two years since his bow saw the hard-hitting batsman continue to enjoy a run of scintillating form in all the three formats of the game. However, since May 2013, Nasir started to lose his sharpness failing to register a single half-century in any format during this period.
