Hasan Murad, a 23-year old slow left arm orthodox bowler replaced Shakib Al Hassan when Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced a fresh squad on Friday.
Earlier, on Wednesday the BCB announced the 15-man squad naming Shakib Al Hasan for the first Test against South Africa, when he was reportedly landing in Dhaka on Thursday, which allows him to play the farewell Test at home ground.
Shakib Al Hasan, who announced his retirement in Kanpur on September 26, desired to complete his Test career at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium and had every believe that he could play his farewell match at home ground. But the former world number one allrounder had to cancel his plan to return home on Wednesday due to security issues and BCB included uncapped left-arm spinner Hasan Murad as the replacement of the ace cricketer.
Murad, since his debut in 2021 took 136 wickets in 30 first class matches, as Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu, Chairman of the National Selection Panel, said, “We have been informed that Shakib is unavailable for the first Test. He is at the end of his Test career but along with his experience, we still do not have someone of that calibre with both bat and the ball to replace him. However, Hasan Murad has performed consistently in first class cricket and has been in our system. He will lend balance to our bowling, especially in home conditions. We believe he has the potential to deliver at this level.”
The upcoming two-match Test series against South Africa, beginning on October 21 in Mirpur when Shakib Al Hassan was supposed to say his goodbye to Test cricket at Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla Cricket Stadium, the Home of Cricket, as he was also in the squad was announced on Ocotber 16. But, due to security concern he will not return home and available.
Meanwhile, Hasan Murad also had a call in December last year against New Zealand, though did not make debut that time. This time also it looked that it would be tough for him to make debut, as the specialist spinners Taijul Islam and Nayeem Hassan are in the squd along experienced spin allrounder Mehidy Hassan Miraz.
After humiliating defeat in the both and T20 matches against India, Tigers might be looking forward to bounce back at home ground against South Africa. But Shakib’s unavailability and dismissing the head coach Hathuru Singha just a week before the Test to get underway might be a bit tremble for the squad.
SQUAD FOR FIRST TEST
Najmul Hossain Shanto (Captain), Shadman Islam, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Mominul Haque Showrab, Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Kumer Das (WK), Zaker Ali Anik, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana, Hasan Murad.
