Selectors not keen on big changes for India Tests

The national selectors are not in favour of making big changes in Bangladesh's Test squad for their upcoming tour of India this month. A 16-member squad list has already been sent to cricket operations in order to get the final approval of the board president.

The Test squad is set to travel to India on September 15 to play two Tests, which will be followed by three T20Is against the hosts. The opening Test in Chennai is set to begin on September 19 while the second Test will be held in Kanpur from September 27.

The Tigers will go to India fresh from a historic 2-0 series win away in Pakistan earlier this month.

"There are no massive changes in the squad. We will name the Test squad first and then will announce the T20 squad. As the opponents are different, there are some strategic plans that will also take into consideration the conditions," Hannan Sarkar, a member of the selection panel, told The Daily Star on Wednesday.

"The squad will be of 16 members just like the one that played in Pakistan. There were some minor injury concerns, so we can make strategic changes keeping that in mind. We all have to understand that we also have T20Is coming up and there is a long session for us as well," he added.

It was learnt that the selectors are likely to rest pacer Shoriful Islam for the Test series as the cricketer sustained a groin injury during the opening Test in Rawalpindi and missed the second Test.

Although Shoriful has started bowling in full rhythm since September 8 in Mirpur, the workload management of the pacer is an issue as Bangladesh are set to play non-stop cricket in the coming months and Shoriful is a three-format cricketer.

In Shoriful's place, the selectors are likely to pick a batting option or a spin-bowling option, keeping the Chennai and Kanpur wickets in mind.

"We have already done our work. We have presented the squad [for India Test series] to the cricket operations department," Gazi Ashraf Hossain, convenor of the National Selection Panel, told reporters on Wednesday.

"You all know that there is a process. Now the squad list will go to the board president. After his approval, the team will be announced to the media," he added.