Taskin on red-ball track, Shakib available

Bangladesh are awaiting key returnees to the Test outfit ahead of the Pakistan series in mid-August with ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan confirmed as available while pacer Taskin Ahmed, who had decided to sit out Tests owing to injury issues at the beginning of the year, is likely to return to the red-ball format.

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) cricket operations chairman Jalal Yunus addressed the media yesterday at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium and gave updates on players returning from injuries or otherwise.

"He [Shakib] is available [for the Pakistan Tests]. He has talked with me, the board, and also the selectors," Jalal told reporters yesterday.

Shakib, currently playing the Global T20 League in Canada, will either return to the country before the series or join the team directly in Pakistan. Shakib has played in just four Tests in the last two years and questions regarding his availability for the longer format keep resurfacing ahead of any Test series.

"If time is not available then he will move directly from Dubai to join the side [in Pakistan]. Or else, as he has been told, he will join the side in Dhaka and go through one or two days of practice before departure," Jalal added.

Bangladesh will play two Tests in Pakistan on August 21 and September 30. Keeping the series in mind, six national team stars have already been named in the 'A' team's tour of Pakistan -- preceding the national team's Test assignment in Pakistan -- to play the first four-day fixture on August 10.

Meanwhile, Taskin Ahmed began training in Mirpur and also gave a fitness test on Tuesday.

Taskin had issues bowling in red-ball cricket owing to a shoulder injury and had decided to sit out Tests. He played his last Test in June last year although he had continued in other formats, featuring for the Tigers in the T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies in June. On Tuesday, he bowled with a red ball during an individual practice session.

Taskin has been given the green light to continue on the trajectory to return to Tests by physios following the assessment but a final call is to be made by BCB chief physician Debashish Chowdhury when he sees the reports.

"Taskin had an assessment yesterday [Tuesday]. He is being considered for red-ball. It will be the selectors' call," Jalal confirmed to the media on Taskin being considered for Pakistan Tests.

Meanwhile, another Test prospect Ebadot Hossain had been sitting on the sidelines since an ACL injury last year in July saw him miss out both the ODI and T20I World Cups.

"Ebadot is recovering. We are in communication with him and he has recovered about 70 percent. Hopefully, he will recover more in the next two months. He is still in rehabilitation," Jalal said.