Mushfiqur Rahim and Taskin Ahmed are back in the Bangladesh Test squad for the two-match series against Pakistan starting later this month. Batter Shahadat Hossain however has been left out of the squad that last played against Sri Lanka in March.
Mushfiqur missed the Sri Lanka Tests due to a thumb injury while Taskin had taken a break from red-ball cricket to manage his shoulder injury. Taskin, however, will be available only for the second Test in Karachi which begins on August 30 but will play the second four-day game for Bangladesh A on August 20.
Senior allrounder Shakib Al Hasan is also part of the squad after he made himself available for selection last month. Shakib, who is no longer a member of parliament after the Awami League-led government fell on August 5, will be in focus.
Six players from the Test squad arrived in Pakistan on Saturday as part of the Bangladesh A side. Mushfiqur and Mominul are among them, as they are set to play the first four-day game in Islamabad from August 13.
"The emphasis was on picking our best players for this version," chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain said. "This is a well-balanced squad. The likes of Mushfiqur (Rahim), Mominul (Haque) and Shakib (Al Hasan) have played 216 matches combined and there is no substitute for that kind of experience. Taijul (Islam) and Miraz (Mehidy Hasan) have been leading the spin department for a long time and have over 350 wickets between them. We also expect Shanto (Najmul Hossain), Litton ( Das) and the other batsmen to step up because to be competitive against Pakistan, we will need a team effort."
Taskin last played a Test in June 2023, in the series against Afghanistan at home. He was part of the T20 World Cup and also played in the Lanka Premier League, but Ashraf said Bangladesh were keen on easing Taskin back into the longer format.
"We have selected five pacers mindful of the fact that Taskin Ahmed will only play the second Test. He hasn't bowled in a Test since June last year and we have decided to include him in the A Team for the second four-dayer against Pakistan A to get him into the rhythm for longer version matches.
"A couple of the pacers may join the A-team for the one-day matches, therefore we needed backups. Our attack has variety with bowlers who can bowl fast and also swing the ball and I am looking forward to seeing them perform against world-class batsmen."
Ashraf was also glad about Bangladesh getting extra days to train in Pakistan.
"Pakistan are very tough opponents, especially in their home front and it will be a challenging tour for us," Ashraf said. "It is good that we will get additional time to prepare in Lahore. Also, some players who are in Pakistan already with the Bangladesh A side, will join the national team for the Test series. Their experience of the conditions should come in handy."
The first Test begins on August 21 in Rawalpindi followed by the second in Karachi on August 30. The squad will train at the Gaddafi Stadium from August 14 to 16 before traveling to Islamabad on August 17 ahead of the first Test.
Bangladesh Test squad
: Najmul Hossain Shanto (Capt), Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Nahid Rana, Shoriful Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed, Khaled Ahmed