Hathurusinghe in ‘no doubt’ over Shakib’s availability for Kanpur Test amid finger injury concerns

Shakib Al Hasan's ongoing struggle for runs in Test cricket continues as Bangladesh prepares for the second Test against India in Kanpur. Although he took nine wickets during his stint in English county cricket, his batting has remained uninspiring. Concerns regarding Shakib's fitness have resurfaced, but Bangladesh's head coach Chandika Hathurusingha addressed these issues during a press conference.

At the first practice session at Green Park, Hathurusingha was asked about Shakib's fitness. He responded, "I haven't heard anything officially regarding Shakib's injury."

Clearing doubts about Shakib's participation, he added, "There is currently no uncertainty about Shakib. I have not received any injury-related information from the physio or anyone else. He is being considered for selection."

Following the loss in Chennai, questions have arisen about Shakib's position in the team. His last fifty in Test cricket came in April of the previous year against Ireland in Mirpur. Since then, he has not scored a fifty in his last seven innings. In the first innings of the Chennai Test, Shakib scored 32 runs off 64 balls and managed only 25 runs from 56 balls in the second innings.

However, Hathurusingha expressed that his disappointment was not solely focused on Shakib: "It's not just about his performance; I'm disappointed with everyone's performance. We could have done better. I'm sure he believes he can perform better as well. He batted well in the second innings but couldn't convert it into a big score. It’s not like he didn’t try. The quality of the opposition's bowling was very good."