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Bangladesh pacer Ebadot Hossain has been urgently recalled to the national squad after a spate of injuries disrupted the team’s preparations for next month’s two-test series against Australia.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) received medical reports on Saturday confirming that fast bowler Nahid Rana has been ruled out for eight weeks, while left-arm pacer Shoriful Islam will miss the opening Test. Wicketkeeper-batter Litton Kumar Das has also been ruled out of the first Test.
The injury setbacks forced the national selection panel to significantly revise the squad for the series opener in Darwin.
Ebadot, who is currently in Italy with his pregnant wife on paternity leave, has been asked to return immediately.
He is scheduled to arrive in Bangladesh on July 29 to complete biometric formalities for his Australian visa. If the visa is issued the same day, he is expected to travel with the team on July 31.
The first Test of the two-match series is scheduled to begin on August 13.
The team management had initially planned to name a 17-member squad for the Australia tour. However, with Nahid, Shoriful and Litton unavailable, the squad for the first Test is expected to be limited to 15 players.
BCB officials hope that Litton and Shoriful will recover in time to be considered for the second Test after completing their rehabilitation and fitness assessments.
Jaker Ali is the leading candidate to replace Litton after impressing against the Zimbabwe A side. The wicketkeeper-batter scored 61 and an unbeaten 56 in the second four-day match in Sylhet.
Ebadot is expected to join a five-man pace attack led by Taskin Ahmed. Hasan Mahmud, who played for Colombo Caps on Friday, is due to join the national camp on Monday.
The remaining pace options are likely to include Khaled Ahmed and Rabiul Haque, who was part of Bangladesh’s Test squad during the Zimbabwe tour. With Mustafizur Rahman and several other fast bowlers also sidelined by injury, the selectors have few alternatives.
Bangladesh are set to play a Test series in Australia for the first time in 23 years, with the matches forming part of the ICC World Test Championship.
Former Bangladesh captain Khaled Mahmud Sujon believes the team can still be competitive despite the injury setbacks.
“Australia will certainly be a tough challenge, but Bangladesh have earned their respect. If we can play competitive cricket, that will be a positive outcome,” he said.
Sujon acknowledged that the bowling attack has been weakened but expressed confidence in the experience of Taskin, Hasan, Ebadot and Khaled in the longer format.
He added that Bangladesh’s biggest concern remains the batting, pointing to the team’s recent failures to chase modest targets of 142 and 248 in the ODI series against Zimbabwe.
According to Sujon, improving the batting performance will be crucial if Bangladesh are to compete strongly in Australia.
