Liton all set to lead one-off Test against Afghans

Wicketkeeper-batsman Liton Das is all set to lead Bangladesh in the upcoming one-match Test series against Afghanistan as the Bangladesh Cricket Board on Sunday announced a 15-member squad that included two uncapped -- Shahadat Hossain Dipu and Mushfik Hasan.

Liton became the 12th Test captain of the country after the post went vacant following the finger injury of all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan during the tour of Ireland that forced him to be ruled out of the series.

“I think he (Liton) got all the credentials to lead the Test squad and it’s a big honour for him. It’s an opportunity for us to see him as Test leader and we believe he will lead from the front,” BCB chief selector Minhajul Abedin said regarding Liton, who led Bangladesh ODI squad against India in December last year but hardly was seen leading in the domestic circuit.

Minhajul added that Chattogram Division batsman Shahadat Hossain Dipu and Rangpur Division paceman Mushfik Hasan were always in their radar.

The 21-year-old Shahadat is a right-handed middle-order batter who made his first-class debut in 2021. He has scored 1265 runs from 20 first-class games with two hundreds and 10 half-centuries.

Meanwhile, Mushfik burst onto the scene after his debut in the 2022 first-class season. The 20-year-old fast bowler has taken 49 wickets from 13 matches with three five-wicket hauls. Both were part of the Bangladesh A side in the just-concluded unofficial Test series against West Indies A and did reasonably well.

“Both of them (Shahadat and Musfik) were with us from the U-19 and they were also part of the High Performance Unit so they were always in our radar. We are confident if they get a chance they will do well,” he said.

The BCB chief selector further added that they are also confident that Mahmudul Hasan has left behind his lean patch through the match-saving unbeaten century against West Indies A in the last game of the three-match four-dayer.

“I think he (Mahmudul) didn’t score runs but now he is doing well and scored a century in the last innings and he played international cricket before so we know what he is capable of,” he said.

Bangladesh also included Taskin Ahmed though the pace bowler went through rehabilitation recently for the side strain that ruled him out from the Test series against Ireland as well as in the three ODIs against Ireland.

The right-arm pace bowler bowled at full strength for the first time as the hosts began their practice at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur on Sunday under the guidance of head coach Chandika Hathurusingha, who arrived in Dhaka a day before (June 3) to prepare his charges for the series, scheduled in Dhaka from June 14.

“I think he (Taskin) will get fit before the Test,” he said.

Shadman Islam and Rejaur Rahman Raja failed to make a cut in the squad while Taskin Ahmed and Zakir Hasan returned to the squad.

Elsewhere, BCB appointed Allan Brown as mind trainer for two weeks and he started his activities on Sunday by having a meeting with a couple of players.

Bangladesh squad: Liton Das (c), Tamim Iqbal, Zakir Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Khaled Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Shahadat Hossain Dipu, Mushfik Hasan.