Instead Bangladesh chose another front-line bowler, 23-year-old left-arm spinner Hasan Murad, who is yet to play a Test and has only two T20 caps to his name at international level.
The build-up to what is a crucial series for both teams has been beset with drama for the hosts, who besides not knowing what was happening with arguably their best ever player, also saw their head coach, Chandika Hathurusingha, fired by the BCB.
Hathurusingha, who had been in charge since January 2023, was axed after being accused of assaulting one of the players during last year’s ODI World Cup, while it was also reported that he’d spent too much time away from the team at his home in Australia.
Hathurusingha will be replaced by West Indies coach Phil Simmons.
“I was actually surprised to bump into Phil Simmons in Dubai on the way here,” said the Proteas batting coach Ashwell Prince.
Bangladeshi great Shakib Al-Hasan axed days before first Test against Proteas
Image: Action Images via Reuters/John Sibley
Bangladesh were dealt a major blow on the eve of the first Test against South Africa when veteran all-rounder Shakib Al-Hasan was withdrawn from the squad on Friday.
The Mirpur Test, that starts on Monday, was scheduled to be Shakib’s last, but concerns about his own safety, which led to him questioning whether to play, caused confusion in Bangladesh's ranks in the past few days.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board took the decision to quash anxiety within the group by removing Shakib, Gazi Ashraf Hossain, the chair of the national selection panel explained.
“We have been informed that Shakib is unavailable for the first Test,” said Hossain.
“He is at the end of his Test career but along with his experience, we still do not have someone of that calibre with both bat and the ball to replace him.”
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Instead Bangladesh chose another front-line bowler, 23-year-old left-arm spinner Hasan Murad, who is yet to play a Test and has only two T20 caps to his name at international level.
The build-up to what is a crucial series for both teams has been beset with drama for the hosts, who besides not knowing what was happening with arguably their best ever player, also saw their head coach, Chandika Hathurusingha, fired by the BCB.
Hathurusingha, who had been in charge since January 2023, was axed after being accused of assaulting one of the players during last year’s ODI World Cup, while it was also reported that he’d spent too much time away from the team at his home in Australia.
Hathurusingha will be replaced by West Indies coach Phil Simmons.
“I was actually surprised to bump into Phil Simmons in Dubai on the way here,” said the Proteas batting coach Ashwell Prince.
“It was nice to see him and he was on the same flight as us to come and take over the head coach’s role here. It’s not ideal to appoint a coach so soon before a series and it's not ideal circumstances for the previous coach to lose his position.”
Prince, who previously worked as Bangladesh’s batting coach for a seven-month period from June 2021, understands well how “the Tigers” are able to shake off outside distractions, even ones that could knock others off their stride.
“Shakib’s (absence) will have an effect on the dressing room ... but it’s not the first time there’s been uncertainty around Shakib. It’s nothing new for them.”
However, even by Shakib’s standards, the past few days have been climatic.
Shakib, besides being his country’s most prominent cricketer, had also been a member of the political party of former leader Sheikh Hasina, who was removed as the country’s prime minister after violent protests.
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Shakib left the country in August as a result of the unrest.
The Proteas tour was briefly put in jeopardy over safety concerns because of those protests and it was only two weeks ago confirmed it would go ahead.
Shakib had wanted to return home but the prospect of more protests during the Test that starts on Monday eventually forced the BCB to make a decision.
That Test was set to bring the curtain down on a career that comprised 71 Tests, and in which he was a central figure in elevating Bangladesh’s status as cricket nation.
Prince said his effect on Bangladesh was similar to Jacques Kallis’ for South Africa, not only in terms of the balance he provided for the team, but also how teammates were automatically lifted just by his presence.
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