Anamul Haque Bijoy Returns to Bangladesh Test Squad After Over a Year

Consistent performances in domestic cricket have finally paid off for Anamul Haque Bijoy, as the experienced right-handed top-order batter has been recalled to the Bangladesh national team for the second Test against Zimbabwe in Chattogram. This marks Bijoy’s return to the red-and-green jersey after more than a year.

Chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu confirmed Bijoy’s inclusion while addressing the media, stating,
"I believe the openers were given sufficient opportunities. If you look at the nature of their dismissals, you'll understand. Bijoy is definitely in very good form. There was no reason to keep him out of the squad any longer. He’s earned this opportunity, even if it came a little late."

He emphasized that Bijoy had always been in the selectors’ plans:
"Bijoy has always been part of our process and in our thoughts. Before bringing someone back into the national side, we prefer they go through the ‘A’ team. That’s why Bijoy was part of the ‘A’ team tour to Pakistan last year."

Explaining the rationale behind the timing of the selection, Lipu added,
"We’ve tried to give enough chances to those we had faith in. It’s only fair to drop a player after a series of poor performances, not prematurely. That’s why we initially named the squad for just the first Test. The failure of the openers in that match created an opening. On top of that, Bijoy has been in excellent form across all domestic formats—NCL, BPL, and DPL. At a time when we struggle to find in-form players, he stands out."

Now 32, Bijoy last played a Test for Bangladesh during the 2022 tour of the West Indies. Since then, despite being out of the national setup, he has remained prolific on the domestic circuit with consistent, eye-catching performances.