Surrey Has No Immediate Plans for Shakib, But…

English county cricket club Surrey's head coach Gareth Batty has confirmed that Shakib Al Hasan will not be playing for Surrey this season. However, he also mentioned that the possibility of his return in the future cannot be completely ruled out, depending on circumstances.

Bangladesh’s cricket superstar and one of the world’s top all-rounders, Shakib Al Hasan, spent two weeks at Surrey earlier this year to rectify his bowling action. He was assisted by Batty along with Mohammad Sirajullah Khadem, a well-known figure in the local cricket circuit, popularly referred to as "Nipu."

Shakib’s bowling action was reported during a County Championship match against Somerset in September 2024, which resulted in a temporary suspension from both international and domestic cricket. However, with the help of Batty and Khadem, Shakib successfully modified his bowling action and passed the required assessment, allowing him to resume bowling in all formats.

Speaking about Shakib’s training, Batty stated, "It was quite straightforward. I received a call from Shakib saying he wanted to correct his action. When he played for us, his action wasn’t right. I was certain we would help him. He came here, worked hard, and now he has been cleared. That’s part of our responsibility towards every player."

Batty further emphasized, "Even though Shakib is a high-profile player, our primary focus was to support him as a cricketer and as a person. His stature as one of the world’s best all-rounders didn’t matter. He is a human being, and it was our duty to help him."

While confirming that Shakib will not feature for Surrey this season, Batty hinted that a return in the future remains a possibility. "At this moment, we have no plans for Shakib to play for Surrey. However, I wouldn’t say everything is off the table because we never know what circumstances might arise."