Nahid Rana Shines In The Fitness Test (Source: @BDCricTime/x.com)
Bangladesh’s recent struggles seem less about talent and more about preparation. The shocking results from their fitness test is raising eyebrows as the players failed to meet the standard.
As the board opted for a detailed fitness test, most of the players, apart from Nahid Rana, failed to make a mark. Standing in front of the high-voltage Asia Cup, their fitness has become a concern.
Nahid Rana Impresses In The Fitness Test
After wrapping up the T20I series against Pakistan with a victory of 2-1 margin, the Bangladesh Cricket Board arranged a preliminary camp to develop skill and fitness. Ahead of stepping into the upcoming assignments, the camp turned out to be a real disappointment as the majority of the players struggled to meet the standards of the fitness Test.
After Bangladesh’s new strength and Conditioning coach, Nathan Keily, took charge, the management arranged a different fitness test, featuring a 40-meter sprint and a 1600-meter run. But the players’ underwhelming performances quickly raised eyebrows and sparked concern.
Amid the disappointments, Nahid Rana shone in the Test. He completed the 1600-meter run in just 5 minutes 31 seconds. As per Cricbuzz, a source of the team management hailed Rana, saying, “Rana was just outstanding. Few others also did well, but at the same time there were couple of cricketers who could not meet our expectations.”
A Few Other Players Fail To Impress
A total of 22 players took part in the fitness Test at the National Stadium in Dhaka. Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Mushfiqur Rahim ended on the second and third positions in the first batch. Tanzim Hasan Sakib completed the run in 5 minutes 53 seconds and came first in the second group. Shahdat Hossain Dipu and Parvez Hossain Emon came second and third.
Adding to the concerns, seasoned bowlers Mustafizur Rahman, Tanvir Islam, and Taskin Ahmed let the management down by missing the fitness standard, taking nearly eight minutes to complete the test. Though some of the members of the camp missed the test, others’ failure is drawing attention.
Ahead of the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, Bangladesh will face Netherlands in a T20I series on home soil. With fitness tests revealing below-par performances, questions are mounting about whether the squad is physically ready to face the challenges of the upcoming tournaments.
