Fizz rested for first NZ Test
Bangladesh pace sensation Mustafizur Rahman has been rested for the first Test against New Zealand starting on January 12 in Wellington. While Mustafizur's absence is a blow for a pace attack low on experience and wicket-taking pedigree, there was good news elsewhere in the 15-man squad named by the Bangladesh Cricket Board yesterday.
Test skipper Mushfiqur Rahim has been named as captain which indicates that he has recovered from the hamstring injury sustained in the first ODI in Christchurch that resulted in him missing the rest of the limited-overs leg of the tour. Also the absence of Mustafizur -- who is still recovering from shoulder surgery in August and was rested from the second ODI as well -- means that Taskin Ahmed is almost a certainty to make his Test debut.
Soumya Sarkar, who played an innings of some substance after a prolonged run of bad form by scoring 39 in the second T20I yesterday, has reportedly been preferred over Mosaddek Hossain.
The changes from the last Test squad -- for the second Test against England at home in late October – are Taskin and Rubel Hossain taking the place of Shuvagata Hom and Mosaddek.
The other Bangladesh cricketers on tour in New Zealand outside of the squad are Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Ebadat Hossain and Tanbir Hayder.
SQUAD
Mushfiqur Rahim (Captain), Tamim Iqbal (Vice Captain), Imrul Kayes, Mominul Hoque, Sabbir Rahman, Mahmudullah Riyad, Shakib Al Hasan, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Rubel Hossain, Kamrul Islam Rabbi, Soumya Sarkar, Taskin Ahmed, Nurul Hasan Sohan and Subashis Roy.
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