Bangladesh include 3 uncapped pacers in 21-member preliminary squad for Sri Lanka series

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) named a 21-member preliminary squad on Friday for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka which comprises of a two-match Test series. BCB have named three uncapped players in the squad in fast bowlers Mukidul Islam, Shahidul Islam and Shoriful Islam. Meanwhile, players like Shuvagoto Hom, Nurul Hasan and Khaled Ahmed returned to the Bangladesh squad after a hiatus. 

Three members including the likes of Mustafizur Rahman, Soumya Sarkar and Hasan Mahmud who were part of the squad for the two-match Test series against West Indies has been excluded. Meanwhile, Shakib Al Hasan who had to miss the second Test against West Indies owing to an injury has made himself unavailable for the series against Sri Lanka to ply his trade for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League. He was given a NOC by the BCB and so was Mustafizur Rahman. 

As per reports in the Cricbuzz, it is learnt that the BCB has decided to send some additional bowlers to Sri Lanka as the home board won’t provide any net bowlers for the practice sessions. As per schedule, Bangladesh will play a two-day practice game before the two-match Test series kicks off on 21st April. 

"We have formed an extended squad as we will not have net bowlers while we will also play an intra-squad practice match," BCB chief selector Minhajul Abedin was quoted as saying by the Cricbuzz. "We will announce the Test squad after the practice game, and the cricketers failing to make a spot in the Test squad will return home in due time.

In order to get acclimatised to the conditions, Bangladesh will play a two-day intra-squad warm-up match which is slated to be played on 17th and 18th April at CMC in Katunayake. While the opening Test will be played from 21st April, the second Test will start on 29th April with both the matches slated to be played in Pallekele. 

Minhajul Abedin said that the youngsters has been picked on the basis of their performance in the domestic circuit. He backed the three uncapped pacers to come good in the upcoming two-match Test series. 

"They (Shoriful, Mukidul and Shohidul) have been in our HP setup and have impressed in whichever version they have played in. Mukidul and Shahidul in particular, have caught the eye in domestic first-class cricket this season and are future Test prospects. They all have age on their side and are talented.

"Shuvagata is coming back after a while but he has been a consistent performer in first-class cricket. We have considered him as a batting all-rounder but his off-break is pretty handy also and gives us an option in the spin department," he added.

This two-match series was originally slated for July last year but had to be postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. An attempt was made again to stage the series in October-November last year but it couldn’t quite materialise as the visiting team weren’t ready to comply with the 14-day quarantine rules in the Island nation. 

Bangladesh Test squad: Mominul Haque (c), Liton Das, Mohammad Mithun, Mushfiqur Rahim, Tamim Khan, Shadman Islam, Abu Jayed, Taijul Islam, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mehidy Hassan Miraz, Nayeem Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain, Mohammad Hasan, Yasir Ali, Shoriful Islam, Khaled Ahmed, Mukidul Islam, Shuvagata Hom, Shahidul Islam, Nurul Hasan.