Shakib’s participation in doubt
When Taijul Islam, Mehedi Hasan Miraz and Nayeem Hasan were scalping wickets thick and fast in a West Indies batting collapse that saw the visitors lose five wickets in just 23 deliveries and get bundled out for 259, Shakib Al Hasan's injury update was in stark contrast to the home side's spark on the field.
A BCB press release stated that Shakib's MRI scan revealed that he suffered a fresh injury, a strain on his left thigh, putting the premier all-rounder's further participation in the ongoing Test against the West Indies in jeopardy.
The top all-rounder did not take any part in yesterday's play as he was taken to hospital for a scan. And even though the press release mentioned that "the BCB medical team will continue to treat and review his progress over the course of the first Test", it remained unclear if the Chattogram Test would see any more involvement from Shakib.
The injury happened when he came to bowl following Tea on Day 2. Shakib seemed to have pulled his groin muscle when he attempted to stop a ball with his leg after Windies skipper Kraigg Brathwaite pushed it towards mid-on for a single in the sixth over.
Shakib continued after that and bowled three more overs but left the field clutching his groin muscle in the 17th over of the innings. And it seemed as if Shakib, who was clearly in a lot of discomfort, had aggravated an old groin injury.
Shakib was picked for the Test after recovering from a groin injury that he suffered during Bangladesh's third and final ODI against the Windies last month. However, even though his latest injury was ruled a fresh one, questions still remain over his match fitness.
"He is still not quite at 100 per cent," were the words of Bangladesh head coach Russell Domingo following Tigers' practice session last Monday, just a day and a half before the first Test. He had however hoped that the premier all-rounder would gain match fitness in the remaining time.
Perhaps ominous signs were also there when the team physio was seen having a few words with the 33-year-old Shakib during almost every drinks break when Shakib was batting on the second day. Shakib, however, exhibited very little discomfort while wielding the willow during his 230-minute stay, during which he scored a 150-ball 68.
Bangladesh went with a sole pacer and a spin quartet, of which Shakib was a crucial part, for this Test. And while the team management's decision to involve a fourth spinner over giving another pacer a chance has already raised eyebrows, it now has to be asked whether there were doubts about Shakib's fitness from the start.
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