BD call up debutant Zakir for 1st India Test

Ag AFP

DHAKA: Bangladesh on Thursday called up uncapped top-order batsman Zakir Hasan for the first Test against India on the back of his strong domestic performances.

Zakir, who has played just one Twenty20 for Bangladesh, was the highest scorer in this autumn’s National Cricket League and maintained that form for Bangladesh A in the ongoing home series against India A.

He scored a dogged 173 in the second innings to salvage a draw in the A-teams’ first four-day match last week and made 46 in the first innings of the ongoing second four-day match in Sylhet.

Officials had been watching him for “quite some time”, said chief selector Minhajul Abedin. “We believe he is now ready for Test cricket.”

Zakir is expected to take the place of opener Tamim Iqbal for the first Test, which begins at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong on December 14.

Tamim, who missed the ongoing one-day international series against India due to a groin injury, failed to recover sufficiently for the first Test.

“We will wait for the report from the physio before considering him for the second Test,” Minhajul said.

Bangladesh have already clinched the three-match ODI series with two wins in two.

The third will be played in Chittagong on December 10. Rain forced a draw in the only Test during India’s last visit to Bangladesh in 2015.

Bangladesh squad for first Test: Mahmudul Hasan, Najmul Hossain, Mominul Haque, Yasir Ali, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan (Capt), Liton Das, Nurul Hasan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Khaled Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain, Shoriful Islam, Zakir Hasan, Rejaur Rahman Raja, and Anamul Haque.