Bangladesh's selector Hannan Sarkar has indicated that prolific domestic batter Amite Hasan is close to earning a Test call-up. However, Sarkar emphasised that Amite needs to prove himself further in representative sides like the BCB High Performance unit before making the leap to international cricket.
Amite's name surfaced after a strong start to the 2024-25 season, but he was not selected for the upcoming Test series against the West Indies. With captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and veteran Mushfiqur Rahim unavailable, and Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal having retired from the longer format, there were opportunities for new players.
Amite has been scoring quite regularly since making his first-class debut. This is not the first season that he has scored runs. The next step for a cricketer is the BCB's high performance unit. He has been playing at this level for three years and has faced international opposition. He was in the HP squad that toured Australia this year. I saw his batting there.
Despite his impressive domestic record, with 2,425 runs at an average of 49.48 and eight centuries since his debut in 2019, Amite was overlooked in favour of Shahadat Hossain, who has struggled in his initial Test outings but showed promise in domestic cricket. Sarkar highlighted the significant gap between domestic and international cricket, stressing the need for Amite to perform well in representative teams before stepping up to the Test level.
We have to pay more attention to how we can make a cricketer ready for international cricket. There's a huge difference between domestic and international cricket. We often see domestic performers struggling at the international stage.
Shahadat, who had success with Bangladesh A before his Test debut, has not replicated that form in recent matches. Meanwhile, Amite has shown potential with a score of 70 against Pakistan A in Darwin.
The selectors are keen to prepare Amite properly before giving him a Test call-up. They considered him for the West Indies series but ultimately chose other options. Amite scores regularly. He is within our system. We are preparing him. It is good for everyone to prepare that cricketer properly. It also matters where a player makes his debut. Amite remains within our system and is close to selection.
Bangladesh will play two Tests against the West Indies in November and December, marking their final matches in the current World Test Championship cycle.
