Will uncapped pace trio win Test cap?

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) selection panel on Friday announced Bangladesh’s 21-member preliminary Test squad for the upcoming Test matches of the two-match Test series against hosts Sri Lanka.

However, Tigers’ final squad will be announced following their inter-squad warm-up game in Sri Lanka.

The two-match Test series is part of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship. With India and England has already sealed the final spot, the results of the series between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will not affect the overall Test championship. But the series against Sri Lanka is crucial for the Tigers as they are yet to grab a point in the ICC Test Championship.

Here are some talking points following the announcement of Tigers’ 21-man Test squad.

Will uncapped pace trio get Test cap?

Rookie pacer Mukidul Islam Mugdho was one of the surprising picks. The right-arm pacer first drew to the attention of the selectors with his good pace during Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). The recent NCL matches have shown his full range of skills. He grabbed 12 wickets in a match in NCL recently. To test the strength of the pipeline, Mukidul will possibly get a nod in the final Test squad.

Meanwhile, medium-pacer Shohidul Islam is a popular face in the domestic circuit. The 26-year old was expected to receive a call-up for national duty. Shohidul who is a seventh batch student in the computer science and engineering department of Jagannath University (JU), showed a fine run with balling in the domestic league in the last couple of years. Both Mukidul andSohidul has been a part of Tigers’ Test plan. Shohidul breathtaking final over gaveGemcon Khulna’s title win in Bangabandhu T20 Cup last year.

Another uncapped Shoriful has already made a limited over cricket debut during the recently concluded New Zealand series. With Mustafizur moved India to play in IPL, BCB decided to call up Shoriful in absence of Mustafizur. The talented left-arm pacer is a prospect.

With Test specialists Abu Jayed Chowdhury Rahi and Ebadot Hossain Chowdhury and Taskin Ahmed have already proved their worth in the test arena it is difficult to see how the uncapped trio gets past the top pacer into the XI.

Surprise inclusion of Shuvagata Hom

One of the big surprises, however, was the inclusion of all-rounder ShuvagataHomwhoplayed the last of his eight Tests in 2016 against England. Chosen as a potential all-rounder, batting at middle order and bowling off-spin.In the latest NCL, Shuvagata claimed seven wickets and scored 163 runs with a century.

No genuine all-rounder in Test squad

Picking Shakib al Hasan’s replacement is always a tough decision as he has been a world-class player in both the batting and bowling departments. Shakib was the best player in Tigers’ last Test series in Sri Lanka in 2017. Tigers will defiantly miss Shakib’s service.BCB has allowed all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan to skip the Test series against Sri Lanka to play in the big-bucks Indian Premier League.

Earlier BCB boss NazmulHasanPapon hintedMahmudullahRiyad could return to the Tests in place of Shakib. Mahmudullah however is not going to Sri Lanka.

Spin All-rounder ShuvagataHom earned a recall after a five-year break. That is why the question naturally arises, did the BCB choose Shuvagataas as an alternative to Shakib Al Hasan? Chief selector MinhajulAbedin however did not say anything about the matter in the official statement. Soumya Sarkar was picked in the Tigers’ last Test assignment against West Indies as an all-rounder but there was no place for Soumya in Tigers’ upcoming assignment against Sri Lanka.

So it is ultimately clear that Shuvagata was picked as an all-rounder in absence of Shakib.

Seven quicks included

Sri Lanka is always an ideal soil for the spinner. However, Abu Jayed, Ebadat Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Khaled Ahmed, Mukidul Islam, Shoriful Islam and Shohidul Islam are the seven fast bowlers in the Tigers’ squad, with Chief selectorMinhajulAbedin saying it would help Tigers’ preparation and also give exposure to several players who are in BCB’s thinking for the longer version going forward.