'Shakib's absence a concern for us'

Ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan got injured during the Ireland series last month and has been ruled out of the one-off Afghanistan Test this month. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced the 15-man squad for the Test on Sunday and Shakib has been excluded as expected.

Chief Selector Minhajul Abedin Nannu thinks Shakib's absence is a matter of concern for the Team in red-ball cricket. Even though he believes the rest of the team are well capable of playing their best without Shakib.

"Shakib is our best player and the captain. It's definitely a concern for us. But there are other players, they are capable of giving their best to the team and the country," Nannu said on Monday.

The only Test match begins on 14 July at Mirpur. Litton Das is set to lead the side in the absence of Shakib.

Bangladesh team are a bit cautious facing Afghanistan even though they are not a big worry for the Tigers.

"The conditions are really challenging. We have tried to build a strong squad. Hopefully, we will play our best cricket against Afghanistan."

The Tigers have played only one Test against Afghanistan before where they lost to the visitors four years ago. Nannu is confident the team will bring a better result this time. 

"We played against them long ago (in Test cricket). The players are more mature and experienced now. If we can play our best, the result will hopefully come in our favour," he added.

Nannu also talked about the two newcomers to the side - Shahadat Hossain Dipu and Mushfik Hasan. He believes if either of them gets a chance, they will show why they are in the team. 

"We are confident about them. They will prove their worth in red-ball cricket if they get a chance. Dipu is well capable of the international circuit. Mushfik is capable of bowling good for longer spells."