INDORE, Nov 13, 2019 (BSS) – No doubt the impact of Shakib Al Hasan in Bangladesh cricket is huge. He is the one who himself won Bangladesh at least 75 percent match across the format since his debut in International cricket in 2006.
Bangladesh recently has won some matches without his service, the latest of which came in Delhi T20 but absence of Shakib means Bangladesh is literally short of the service of two players.
Shakib is the rare breed of player who can win the match for the side with both batting and bowling. And in this era, it is tough to get such sort of player.
The ace all-rounder was banned for two years from the cricket by ICC, with one year of that suspended due to his failure to report corrupt approaches. His foolish act left Bangladesh in a troublesome state ahead of the crucial series against India.
Even though Bangladesh won a T20 match without him, the Test cricket is all together a different proposition in which Bangladesh badly needed a Shakib Al Hasan, especially the experience he has under the belt.
He is the highest wicket-taker of Bangladesh in Test cricket with 210 scalps in 56 Test. He is also the third highest run-getter in this format with 3862 runs with five centuries and 24 half-centuries.
Moreover there is no Tamim Iqbal up in the batting order, so Shakib’s absence left a huge void in both sector. Specially in bowling when most of the Bangladeshi bowlers have lack of experience.
Shakib’s name itself could earn a respect for Bangladesh in the Test series against India, which looked to be a mismatch at this point.
When Shakib’s impact looked in Bangladesh team appeared to be huge, the stat suggested that he is not such successful against team India. In T20 format against India, Shakib scored just 62 runs and took four wickets in six matches. Shakib played six Test matches against India and amassed just 260 runs in 10 innings with the highest of 82. That 82 runs is his only half-century against India. In bowling he has claimed 15 wickets in six matches with just one five-for.
The stat may suggest that Bangladesh should not miss the service of Shakib Al Hasan but the experience is missing.
Mominul Haque, who was appointed as the captain of Test team, in absence of Shakib Al Hasan, said missing Shakib means missing two players simultaneously.
When asked whether he would miss the service of two key players in Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal, Mominul’s response was prompt.
“It’s not two, it will be three, what I mean is that we will be missing three players. One is Tamim Iqbal, and the other is Shakib Al Hasan who is two in one,” Mominul said.
“It will be challenging without the service of them. But we are not willing to think about them when they are not here. We have to concentrate on the players who are playing here. Every player is motivated and they know they have to take the onus in absence of those players,” he added.
“The match is the World Test Championship match and it’s an opportunity for us. Everyone is raring to go and perform.”