Understanding the science behind Bangladesh’s injury crisis

Bangladesh's most electrifying pace weapon has been silenced for now. Nahid Rana, 23, was ruled out of Bangladesh's historic Test tour of Australia after sustaining a Grade 2 left side strain during the second T20 International against Zimbabwe on 17 July.
Rana and the side strain
A side strain refers to a tear of the internal oblique, external oblique, or transversalis fascia at the point where they attach to the four bottom ribs. In cricket, bowlers suffer the side strain on the non-bowling arm side as a result of a forcible contraction of the muscle on that side while they are fully stretched as the bowling arm is cocked for delivery. Faster bowlers are at significantly greater risk due to higher trunk rotation velocity and forces generated through the action. A player of Rana's build regularly hitting speeds above and around 150kph places a lot of lateral stress on the oblique muscles with every delivery. The most common site of injury is the internal oblique muscle, most frequently tearing from the undersurface of the 11th rib. Grade 2 strains, like Rana’s, indicate a partial muscle tear. MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) is routinely used in elite cricket to confirm the diagnosis; the presence of a confirmed muscle tear is the only MRI parameter reliably associated with time to return to play, with those showing a muscle tear averaging 43 days to return. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has estimated a recovery period of approximately four weeks for tissue healing, followed by a further two to four weeks of bowling workload progression. This aligns with clinical guidelines: Grade 2 side strains typically require four to six weeks of rest from bowling and throwing activities. Rehabilitation may be structured in four stages, including restoration of range of motion, strength, bowling speed, and workload to prepare the player for a successful return to play. In the acute phase, rest is the most effective initial treatment, allowing time for the muscle to heal, aided by anti-inflammatory and analgesic medication.
As pain subsides, core stability work is introduced before graduated bowling loads are built progressively. Perhaps the most sobering dimension is the recurrence risk. Recurrence occurs in approximately 30% of elite bowlers, usually within two years of the primary injury. Symptoms may appear to resolve within the first two weeks, only for bowlers to re-injure themselves upon premature return; a full rehabilitation programme and thorough fitness test are essential before return.
Litton, calf muscle tear, 
and the role of PRP
Litton Das was diagnosed initially with a Grade 1 strain of the left calf muscle following a medical assessment in Dhaka. Litton remained unavailable for initial fixtures, with his recovery subject to close monitoring. He is now working through a progressive running and conditioning programme from 28 July, with a fitness assessment scheduled around 13 August, keeping him in contention for the second Test in Mackay.
Litton received Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) treatment in Singapore, where access to advanced regenerative therapies including PRP is well-established.
One increasingly prominent treatment modality for muscle injuries of this nature is PRP therapy. The underlying scientific rationale behind PRP is that the release of biologically active factors from platelets — including growth factors, cytokines, lysosomes, and adhesion proteins — supports the three phases of wound healing: inflammation, proliferation, and remodelling, potentially accelerating recovery from muscle strains.
While current evidence from the highest-quality studies does not yet support PRP as a statistically significant accelerant of return to play, some studies report positive effects on pain reduction and tissue healing in acute muscle strains in athletes.
In elite cricket, where weeks matter, PRP remains a clinically reasonable supplement to structured rehabilitation.
Shoriful and the Grade 
1 hamstring
Shoriful Islam sustained a Grade 1 left hamstring injury during the tour of Zimbabwe and is recovering well, with the BCB expecting him to resume bowling from 29 July before undergoing a fitness assessment around 12 August. Grade 1 hamstring strains involve minimal muscle fibre disruption and typically carry a two-to-three week recovery timeline with appropriate physiotherapy. Although he is unlikely to be fit for the opening Test in Darwin, Shoriful remains in contention for the second match in Mackay if he receives medical clearance.
All told, the Tigers would have hoped for better fortunes on the injury front prior to their first ever tour of Australia in 23 years. With that said, whatever happened has happened and the tourists would do well to now focus on the tough task facing them – give the Aussies a good fight and a run for their money in the two-Test series.