When will Shakib return to home soil? The country’s cricket experts and fanatics were searching for the answer to this question for several days. However, Shakib finally returned to Dhaka in the wee hours of Wednesday. Folk of reporters and cameras at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport were not there due to the lack of clarity over his arrival.
Shakib has returned from abroad many times before. However, there has never been so much discussion about his return. Shakib’s ban from international cricket will be lifted after two months.
He may return to the field during Tigers Sri Lanka tour. Before that he will do individual training in Savar’s BKSP. If Shakib is tested negative in his corona test, then he will
probably go to BKSP on September 5th or 6th.
BKSP Director Brigadier General Rashidul Hasan said, “Shakib is a former student of BKSP. We call him the great hero of Bangladesh cricket. So, we are a little bit excited about his return. Since he is the pride of our country, I will try to make his return better.”
Shakib is getting two of his favourite coaches Mohammad Salahuddin and Nazmul Abedin in BKSP practice. He will also get special benefits of BKSP for fitness and conditioning.
The BKSP director general said, “He has been out of the game for a year. Our coaches have plans to bring his fitness back to normal.”
BKSP also has a psychologist in their mind to bring Shakib back to the best rhythm.
“He is under ICC punishment. There may be mental anxiety or exhaustion.
That is why we have included the psychologist in our plan,” said the Director General of BKSP.
With the three-match Test tour of Sri Lanka in front of him, Shakib's return to cricket was discussed in a meeting with two selectors of the national team at the Mohakhali office of Akram Khan, the head of the cricket management department of the BCB, on Wednesday.
BCB president Nazmul Hassan has already said that if all goes well, Shakib will return to international cricket during the second Test of Sri Lanka series. Akram Khan said, “We will officially work with him (Shakib) from October 29. Earlier, our coach will personally go and offer him his assistance.”
With the Sri Lanka series looming, 38 pool cricketers are training at various venues across the country. From them, 17 are practicing at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Mirpur. There will be 28 cricketers in the initial team of the series. Later the number will be reduced to 22.
Tigers are getting a new batting coach in this series. Neil McKenzie, who has just left his job, has already been replaced by new batting coach Craig McMillan.
The national team camp will start on September 21. Before that, the cricketers will have a single and joint practice.
