Rishad and Co planning to fill in Shakib’s shoes

Shakib Al Hasan's decision to call it quits in T20Is has created a massive vacuum in Bangladesh's spin bowling department in the shortest format, one that would soon spread to the other two formats as well as he is set to retire from all forms of international cricket in the matter of months.

After leading the Bangladesh spin attack in all three formats for more than 18 years, the 37-year-old has officially entered the final stretch of his international career and speculations have already begun about how the Tiger's spin attack will shape up in his absence.

With 708 wickets to his name till yesterday, Shakib is Bangladesh's most successful bowler across formats by some margin. Pacers Mashrafe Bin Mortaza (389) and Mustafizur Rahman (323) occupy the next two spots in the list followed by off-spinner Mehedi Hasan Miraz (296), who made his international debut in 2016; 10 years after Shakib.

Miraz has long been touted to take over Shakib's role as an all-rounder in the team, however, within a very short time Rishad Hossain, a leg-spinner who has the ability to tonk the ball, has also inserted himself in that debate at least in the shortest format.

It would be extremely difficult for anyone to step into Shakib's shoes but out of the current crop of spinners, which includes the likes of Taijul Islam, Nasum Ahmed, Mahedi Hasan and Nayeem Hasan, Miraz and Rishad look the best equipped to do so owing to their batting abilities.

The first test of how the spin attack will cop in the post-Shakib era will take place in the forthcoming three-match T20I series against India, starting in Gwalior on October 6.

Rishad, who is still very new to the international circuit with three ODIs and 24 T20Is, told the reporters in Mirpur yesterday that the spinners are already planning on how they can make up for Shakib's absence moving forward.

"The five to six of us spinners who are in the pipeline are discussing with each other about how to go about the matches in India and the upcoming games. We are talking about how we can cover his absence," Rishad told reporters ahead of an inter-squad practice match.

"Shakib bhai all of a sudden taking such a decision is very disappointing for us. Inshallah, we will try to gradually cover up with our best efforts," he added.

Rishad has recently staked a claim in one of Shakib's long-lasting records by becoming the second Bangladeshi to get a contract in Australia's Big Bash League (BBL), getting drafted in by Hobart Hurricanes for the upcoming season.

His brilliant stint in this year's ICC T20 World Cup where he took 14 wickets earned him global recognition and attracted interest from franchises from different leagues across the world.

He was picked by Toronto Nationals in the Global T20 Canada but could not got due to visa complications. He was also picked by Harare Bolts in the ongoing Zim Afro T10 but could not take part owing to national team commitments.

Rishad runs the risk of missing out on the BBL as well, as its schedule clashes with the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).

BBL will run from December 15 this year to January 27 next year, while the 11th BPL is scheduled to start on December 27 and run until February 7.

Hobart, however, have two matches scheduled before the start of BPL, on December 19 and 21 respectively. So, the 22-year-old remains hopeful about getting the opportunity to get a taste of BBL.

"Hopefully I will be able to play a few Big Bash matches," said Rishad.