Pace bowler Taskin Ahmed has been rested for Bangladesh’s one-off Test against Afghanistan, the Bangladesh Cricket Board announced on Saturday. The BCB named a 15-member squad for the lone Test, scheduled to be played in the UAE from October 9 to 13. Aside from Taskin, wicketkeeper-batter Amite Hasan has been omitted from the side to accommodate the returns of Towhid Hridoy and Jaker Ali.
Squad Changes and Form
Hridoy’s inclusion follows his historic unbeaten 350 against South Africa A in Potchefstroom, while Jaker Ali also impressed in that same fixture by scoring 94. Notably, Jaker last played a Test for Bangladesh in July 2025, against Sri Lanka in Galle, before earning a recall for the Afghanistan assignment. Regarding the changes, BCB chief selector Habibul Bashar explained, “We have replaced Amite Hasan with Jaker Ali taking his form into consideration.”
Workload Management
- BCB chief selector Habibul Bashar stated regarding Taskin Ahmed: “We have decided to give rest to Taskin from this Test match. As we are prioritizing the Test Championship so we are looking forward to getting his full service during the Test series against West Indies. He might play the ODI series against West Indies to get his rhythm as he is already playing Test matches.”
- Meanwhile, Nahid Rana continues to undergo rehabilitation as he recovers from the Grade 2 side strain that has kept him out since July. Bashar noted: “Rana will be available from October 10. We have four important WTC matches at home ahead of us, so we want to keep him ready for the two-match Test series against the West Indies and England.”
- The board is prioritizing Rana’s full recovery for these demanding assignments as part of the current World Test Championship cycle.
- Offspinner Nayeem Hasan, pacer Musfik Hasan, and Under-19 pacer Iqbal Hossain Emon have been named as travelling reserves to support the main squad during the series.
The selection committee’s focus remains on balancing current performance with long-term fitness, particularly for the upcoming home schedule. By managing the workloads of frontline pacers like Taskin and monitoring the recovery of rising talents such as Nahid Rana, the BCB aims to field a competitive lineup for the crucial World Test Championship fixtures ahead. The team is now finalizing preparations for the UAE tour, with the players expected to report for duty shortly before the start of the Test match. The report also notes that however, he made way after Litton recovered in time for the series Down Under.
