Bangladesh Announces Test Squad Changes Ahead of Afghanistan Match
Towhid Hridoy Returns; Taskin Ahmed Rested
Bangladesh has welcomed Towhid Hridoy back into their Test lineup for the upcoming one-off match against Afghanistan, set to begin on October 9 in the UAE. Meanwhile, fast bowlers Taskin Ahmed and Nahid Rana have been omitted from the squad due to fitness issues and workload management.
Hridoy's Impressive Performance
Hridoy's selection follows an outstanding performance where he scored an unbeaten 350 for Bangladesh A against South Africa A in an unofficial Test earlier this month. This achievement marks his return to the Test team after debuting against Zimbabwe in July.
Additional Squad Adjustments
The selectors have also brought back wicketkeeper-batter Jaker Ali, while Amite Hasan has been dropped from the squad. Amite made his Test debut in Zimbabwe in July but did not play in the Australia tour.
Fitness Updates on Key Players
Nahid Rana has been out of action since sustaining a side strain during the Zimbabwe series in July. Taskin Ahmed is being rested as part of Bangladesh's workload management strategy after his participation in the Australia series. Chief selector Habibul Bashar stated that Nahid will be unavailable until October 10, as the management aims to ensure his readiness for the upcoming Tests against West Indies and the remainder of the 2026-27 season. Bashar mentioned, "Nahid Rana is available from October 10, so till then we will consider him ruled out. We want him to be available for the Tests against West Indies and the rest of the 2026-27 season."
Reserves and Full Squad Information
Nayeem Hasan, along with fast bowlers Musfik Hasan and Iqbal Hossain Emon, will accompany the squad as reserves. The venue for the one-off Test, hosted by Afghanistan, has yet to be confirmed.
Bangladesh Squad Overview
The Bangladesh squad includes: Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Tanzid Hasan, Shadman Islam, Soumya Sarkar, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das, Towhid Hridoy, Jaker Ali, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Khaled Ahmed, Ebadat Hossain, and Shoriful Islam.