Hathuru Believes Miraz Can Fill Shakib's Shoes

Chandika Hathurusingha, Bangladesh's head coach, firmly believes that Mehidy Hasan Miraz is prepared to fill Shakib Al Hasan's role in the future. Hathurusingha has taken notice of Miraz's progress and holds big expectations for the all-rounder.

In Rawalpindi, Shakib and Miraz’s spin bowling dismantled Pakistan’s "pace dominance." They are also expected to be key contributors in the upcoming India series. Hathurusingha sees Miraz as the future equivalent of Shakib, believing that once Shakib retires, the responsibility will fall on Miraz's shoulders.

Speaking at a press conference after the team’s practice in Chennai, the head coach said, "To me, Miraz is the most improved cricketer in Bangladesh over the past 5-6 years. He is genuinely prepared to take on Shakib's role when Shakib is no longer around. Not only has he improved his batting, but his bowling—his strongest suit—has also developed. He has also improved his fielding skills."

Miraz himself also believes he can fill the gap left by Shakib. Mehedi Hasan Miraz is regarded as the next Shakib Al Hasan in Bangladesh cricket, capable of contributing with both bat and ball, similar to Shakib. In the Pakistan series, Miraz scored 155 runs and took 10 wickets, earning the Player of the Series award.

For the upcoming series against India, a change has been made to the 16-member squad that defeated Pakistan 2-0 in Rawalpindi. Left-arm pacer Shariful Islam has been excluded from the squad as he has not fully recovered from his hamstring injury. He is replaced by wicketkeeper-batter Zaker Ali Onik. The 26-year-old Zaker is the only uncapped player in the squad.