Shakib Al Hasan's batting form has been a concern, as noted by Bangladesh selector Hannan Sarkar during a press conference in Mirpur, following the announcement of a 16-member squad for the upcoming Test series against India.
Shakib's recent struggles with the bat have been a topic of discussion, raising questions about whether the 37-year-old has passed his peak as a batsman or is just one good innings away from regaining his form. Test cricket, with its extended format, offers ample time but presents significantly tougher challenges. The Bangladesh team management is hopeful that these challenges will help their star all-rounder Shakib overcome his batting struggles.
His bat remained silent during the Pakistan series and the preceding Global T20 league in Canada. Shakib has not participated in any ODIs since the last ODI World Cup in India, where his eye problems first emerged. However, his last half-century in Tests came against Ireland last year.
Sources from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) have disclosed that Shakib's eye issue persists. The alteration in his batting stance, noticeable since the Asia Cup in Pakistan and Sri Lanka last year, is largely attributed to the blurry vision in his right eye. He has been advised to rest and needs a substantial break, according to a BCB source.
However, at this late stage in his career, Shakib cannot afford a lengthy hiatus from playing. Recently, he represented Surrey in the County Championship Division One, where he excelled with the ball, claiming nine wickets in two innings, including a five-wicket haul. Nonetheless, concerns about his batting remain unaddressed. He won't be able to take that kind of rest now, so he will have to manage it, sources close to the situation informed the media.
If there is one cricketer from Bangladesh who can defy the odds and current form to rise to a challenge, it is Shakib. While batting conditions in Pakistan were tough, his dismissals were not unlike those of his fellow Bangladesh batsmen. He struggled against the movement of Pakistan's pacers on the third day of the second Rawalpindi Test, but so did the others. His last innings in Pakistan demonstrated that he still has the ability to dig deep.
According to Hannan's assessment, it is only a matter of time before Shakib overcomes his batting difficulties. Given the standards he has set, it is just a matter of time—just one innings away. Shakib at the crease is always a concern for the opposition. No one judges Shakib based on two to five innings, and neither do we.
