Bangladesh were dealt a big blow ahead of their tour of the West Indies after pacer Mustafizur Rahman was left out of the 15-man squad for the Test series.
The star pacer’s failure to recover from a toe-injury he sustained in the recent IPL while playing for the Mumbai Indians meant that Bangladesh will have to do without his services in the two Tests in the Caribbean.
The 22-year-old left-arm pacer had also missed the recent three-match T20I series against Afghanistan due to the same injury.
“Barring a miracle he is unlikely to be fit before the second Test, so we left him out from the squad,” Bangladesh chief selector Minhajul Abedin said while announcing the squad.
In Mustafizur’s absence, right-arm pacer Abu Jayed has been handed his maiden Bangladesh Test call up after previously appearing in three T20Is.
Abu Jayed has been handed a maiden Test call up.
Ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has made a return to the side after missing out on the Sri Lanka Test series with an injury and he will take over the captaincy duties once again.
Bangladesh will play two Tests, three ODIs and as many T20Is in their tour of the West Indies. The first Test at Antigua gets underway on July 4 with the team to depart for the Caribbean on June 23.
BANGLADESH TEST SQUAD
Shakib Al Hasan (C), Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mohammad Mahmudullah, Liton Das, Mominul Haque, Mehidy Hasan, Taijul Islam, Kamrul Islam, Rubel Hossain, Nurul Hasan, Abu Jayed, Nazmul Hossain and Shafiul Islam