Shakib Al Hasan has returned to the Bangladesh Test squad after being out of action for a year in the longest format. He has been picked for the second Test against Sri Lanka in Chattogram from March 30. Shakib last played a Test in April 2023 before an eye condition kept him away from Tests although he has been plaing white-ball cricket recently.
Shakib comes into the squad in place of Towhid Hridoy, who wasn’t picked in the XI for the first Test against Sri Lanka, which the visitors won by 328 runs in Sylhet. The other change in the squad is pace bowler Hasan Mahmud coming in for the injured and uncapped Musfik Hasan, who has hurt his left ankle and will require rehab. Mahmud is also uncapped in Tests, but has played 39 white-ball games in international cricket.
Shakib has played 66 Tests so far, the last of which was against Ireland at home in April 2023. His last international assignment was the ODI World Cup in India late last year. Since then, he has also played the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) for Rangpur Riders and two games for Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club in the ongoing Dhaka Premier Division League.
Bangladesh squad for second Test
Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Zakir Hasan, Mahmudul Hasan, Shadman Islam, Litton Das, Mominul Haque, Shakib Al Hasan, Shahadat Hossain, Mehidy Hassan Miraz, Nayeem Hasan, Taijul Islam, Shoriful Islam, Khaled Ahmed, Nahid Rana, Hasan Mahmud
