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Bangladesh recall Soumya Sarkar for first Test against Australia

by MC Tot•
Bangladesh recall Soumya Sarkar for first Test against Australia


Bangladesh have brought back Soumya Sarkar from Test wilderness and have also picked Jaker Ali and uncapped Musfik Hasan for the first Test against Australia in Darwin. Soumya’s last Test was five years ago, when he made 0 and 13 against West Indies.
In all, there were five changes to the last Test squad, which played against Zimbabwe earlier this month. Apart from Soumya, Jaker and Musfik, vice-captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz and veteran fast bowler Taskin Ahmed also return after being rested for the Zimbabwe Test.
Bangladesh have been dented by the injuries to Nahid Rana, Shoriful Islam and Litton Das. The three, alongside Taskin and Mehidy, had played pivotal roles in Bangladesh’s 2-0 Test series win against Pakistan in May.

The selectors have dropped Mahmudul Hasan Joy despite the team management having placed a lot of faith in him over the last two years. He made 2 and 22 in his last appearance against Zimbabwe. Back-up wicketkeeper Mahidul Islam, batter Towhid Hridoy, offspinner Nayeem Hasan and uncapped seamer Robiul Haque were also left out.

During his time away from the Test team, Soumya averaged 44.47 in 27 first-class matches, with the help of three centuries. He wasn’t among the top performers, which makes it unclear why the selectors picked him. His ODI form this year has been poor too: an average of 21.42 in seven games with one half-century.

Jaker’s recall is also shrouded in mystery as he didn’t bat in his only first-class appearance since his last Test against Sri Lanka more than 12 months ago. Jaker hasn’t been in Bangladesh’s white-ball plans either since last November, though he scored a couple of fifties against Zimbabwe A recently.

The national selectors will hold a press conference on Monday. The team is scheduled to leave for Darwin on July 31 and will play a warm-up game before the first Test on August 13.

Bangladesh squad for first Test against Australia

Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Soumya Sarkar, Shadman Islam, Tanzid Hasan, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Amite Hasan (wk), Jaker Ali (wk), Mehidy Hasan Miraz (vice-capt), Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Khaled Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain, Musfik Hasan



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