'All my focus is on June 10'
Opener Tamim Iqbal admitted that he was 'slightly worried' upon learning of his latest medical development. On Thursday it was revealed that the left-hander's latest MRI report suggested that there could be a cyst in his knee. The BCB's sports physician however, stated that the condition wouldn't affect Tamim's sporting activities and that it wasn't serious.
The left-hander told The Daily Star yesterday that while he was anxious regarding the development, he won't let it interfere with his batting in the India series which begins on June 10.
"I had an MRI when I was in Malaysia recently and sent the reports to Doctor David Young in Australia. He informed me regarding a new finding in my knee. He called it Ossifying Fibroma. He said that it won't affect my game but asked me to remove the cyst whenever there is a gap in the schedule. He also said that there might be some pain in my knee but that I would have to bear that pain and play.
"So right now, I am completely focused on June 10. I am working on my rehab schedule. My leg is doing well… I feel good. I can't say what will happen in the match, but at this moment there is no problem," Tamim said.
"It's only natural for me to be a little worried. I am a little anxious. But I am sure that when the India series begins, I won't be thinking of this issue," he added.
When asked if he had mentally planned a date to undergo an operation and remove the suspected cyst, Tamim said, "We get very few opportunities to play Test cricket. I want to play this entire season. I can't miss these chances. I can only take a decision after this year is over. But yes, if I feel uncomfortable on the field, then there's nothing that I can do. I'll have to take the required measures then."
Tamim had surgery on his left knee in December last year and then he suffered an injury to his right knee in the Bangladesh Cricket League's one day tournament before the home series against Pakistan. That was the reason that the southpaw was asked to skip the final round of the BCL's four-day competition.
The left-hander was Bangladesh's star player in the last series against Pakistan. He scored two consecutive centuries in the ODI series and became only the second Bangladeshi to score a double hundred during the Test series.