Shakib Al Hasan's availability in the India vs Bangladesh 2nd Test in Kanpur is under doubt as he is suffering from a finger issue. The veteran all-rounder Shakib didn't had much of an impact in the first Test against India in Chennai as he could not deliver with the bat and was expensive with the ball.
The member of the Bangladesh Cricket Board selection panel Hannan Sarkar has confirmed that the decision on having Shakib for the second Test will be taken after a medical assessment. "We are heading to Kanpur tomorrow (Tuesday) and today is a day off. We will have two sessions afterwards and we will judge after that (Shakib's availability for the second match) and we don't want to make a decision yet," Sarkar told media in Chennai on Monday.
"These two days, the physio has kept him under observation. When we get back to the ground, we will get the physio's feedback. We have to think before picking Shakib for the next match and there is time before the next match. We will see what condition he is in," he added.
Shakib was fit before the Chennai Test, but bowling cropped his troubles
Notably, Hannan has stated that Shakib was fit before the Chennai Test match but his finger injury cropped up when he bowled in the game. The left-handed all-rounder was also hit in the same place later in the match. "He was 100% fit before the Chennai Test. We have heard lots of discussions about Shakib's finger [and why he did not bowl a lot in Chennai]. You can't call it an injury straightaway. He didn't feel the problem before the match. He felt it after he started to bowl. He also got hit in the same place later in the game. That has caused some pain.
"We have time to think about it. Shakib could even play as a batter [in Kanpur]. If he feels it is affecting both his batting and bowling though, it will be a different scenario, " Sarkar said.
Shakib used a strap in the first Test against India. Visuals went viral of the Bangladesh veteran having a strap in his mouth and the reason was revealed later by commentators on air. The all-rounder had the strap to keep his head in position so that it did not fall while playing. "He has come up with this strap. It is completely his idea. It has not come from us. He is working on a way to hold his head position while batting," BCB's chief physician Dr Debashish Chowdhury told ESPNcricinfo. "He was trying to manage this with a neck brace previously, so this strap thing is also in a trial-and-error phase. He has tried it in the nets. He has done a lot of shadows [shadow batting practice] with it too," he added.
