Ashraful back in the loop
The national selectors were prepared to change their policy, regarding the selection of Mohammed Ashraful, when they considered the right-hander's experience before earmarking him for the two-Test series against England in May June.
The Rafiqul Alam-led selection panel announced a 15-member team on Monday recalling Ashraful and paceman Mahbubul Alam while 23-year old paceman Robiul Islam is the only uncapped player in the series.
The first Test will start from May 27 at Lord's while the second Test will take place at Manchester from June 4.
Ashraful was ignored for the recently concluded home series against England due to poor form whereby the selectors made it explicitly clear that it was form and not experience that would come into consideration when selecting the team.
"It's true Ashraful has been going through a bad patch but we considered his experience in English conditions and he has some sweet memories there. He didn't do well in the last few innings but we hope he will come back to form and it was encouraging to see him playing a good knock against Pakistan in the Twenty20 World Cup," Rafiqul said explaining the reason behind the inclusion of Ashraful, who came in the side in place of Aftab Ahmed.
"And most importantly he was not dropped rather he had opted for a rest," added Rafiqul.
"Aftab is not at his best right at the moment and on the other hand we have to pick five pace bowlers considering the English conditions. What we felt is that the team required an experienced campaigner and that's why we chose Ashraful," Rafiqul continued.
Pace spearhead Mashrafe Bin Mortaza is not considered for the Test squad as the bowler himself said that he is not yet to ready to play the five-day game.
Rafiqul informed that left-arm spinner Enamul Haque was left out from the team due to injury while they believe that the out swing of Mahbubul Alam will be useful in English conditions.
The chief selector also heaved praises on uncapped pace bowler Robiul, who has been a prolific wicket-taker in domestic cricket and has represented the GP-BCB National Cricket Academy and the Bangladesh A team.
"He brings in a lot of energy and has brisk pace. Robiul is strong and aggressive and we feel he can be a handy option in English conditions. What we felt is that the English condition will be a good platform for the young pace bowler to show his potential," he hoped.
Robiul will head to England along with fellow seamers Shahadat Hossain, Mahbubul Alam and opening batsman Junaed Siddiqui. The other members of the squad will fly directly to England at the end of Bangladesh's campaign in the ICC World T20 in the West Indies.
The players returning home are Mashrafe, Syed Rasel, Aftab Ahmed and Sohrawordi Shuvo.
SQUAD
Shakib Al Hasan (captain), Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Mohammad Ashraful, Junaed Siddique, Jahirul Islam, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mushfiqur Rahim (vice-captain/wicketkeeper), Naeem Islam, Abdur Razzak, Shahadat Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Shafiul Islam, Mahbubul Alam, Robiul Islam.
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