Has Shakib Al Hasan played his last Test in Kanpur? Or will he get the chance to bow out from the longer version of the game at home?
So many questions have arisen since the southpaw announced his retirement from T20Is and that he will play his final Test at home if he is assured a ‘safe exit’ from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).

The BCB stated that they can assure security to the ‘cricketer’ Shakib, but not to the ‘politician’ Shakib who has been facing public wrath ever since the student-led movement which eventually ousted the Awami League regime.

Many have considered the Kanpur Test to be Shakib’s final hurrah in red-ball cricket after that BCB statement, but Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha said otherwise.

According to his knowledge, the ace all-rounder will play in the South Africa series later this month.

“I haven’t heard anything to say that this is the last time (that Shakib is playing). As far as I know, he is playing the South Africa series,” Hathurusingha said during the post-match press conference on Tuesday.

Shakib picked up four wickets in the first innings of the Kanpur Test but his struggle with the bat continued, scoring 9 and 0 in the two innings of the match.

The Bangladesh coach said there will not be a like-for-like replacement for Shakib but the succession plans are there.

“I think succession plans are always there, especially at this stage of his career. We are all surprised that he said that (South Africa) is his last series. You are not getting a like-for-like replacement for someone like Shakib,” he added.