Three body blows for embattled Bangladesh
Bangladesh have received three body blows ahead of the tourending second test against the Black Caps, but their new skipper denies his depleted squad have also suffered psychologically from defeat at the Basin Reserve.
Inspirational captain, wicketkeeper and middle order batsman Mushfiqur Rahim will only spectate at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval from Friday after a fractured thumb - not concussion forced him to pass the leadership role to Tamim Iqbal.
The opening batsman will also have a new partner at the top of the order after Imrul Kayes was ruled out with a thigh injury that hampered his second innings knock in Wellington.
And in another setback for the tourists, ESPNcricinfo reported key batsman Mominul Haque was ruled out with a rib injury suffered in Wellington, where he continued a top run of form against New Zealand with 64 in their first innings of 595-8 declared.
Tamim confirmed Soumya Sarkar will face the new ball in what will be his fourth test, while the uncapped Nazmul Hossain will likely slot in at No 3. Another debutant looms with the gloves, with Nurul Hasan replacing Mushfiqur.
The new wicketkeeper at least has experience of New Zealand conditions having deputised for Mushfiqur after he strained a hamstring in the opening ODI in Christchurch on Boxing Day.
Hasan played the two remaining games of that format and the three Twenty20 internationals before Mushfiqur returned for last week’s test at the Basin Reserve.
Although Mushfiqur needed to be strapped onto a gurney and taken by ambulance from the Basin Reserve after ducking into a Tim Southee delivery, it is the hand injury that hampered his superb 159 in Bangladesh’s first innings that prevented him playing this test.
‘‘The injury he got when he got hit by a bouncer, that’s absolutely fine. It’s just the thumb we’re worried about,’’ said Tamim, before Bangladesh trained on Thursday.
He hoped Mushfiqur and Imrul would be available for Bangladesh’s next assignment - the country’s first-ever test match in India at Hyderabad from February 9.
Mushfiqur’s absence was forecast by team physio Dean Conway on Wednesday when he said scans revealed a hairline fracture on his thumb.
Scans of his head and neck did not show any damage from Southee’s blow though doctors urged Mushfiqur to take three weeks out of the game to fully recover.
Tamim was aware of the proposed stand down but was confident Mushfiqur would be cleared inside that timeframe.
Meanwhile, he said the players had recovered from the disappointment associated with their historic defeat in Wellington - 595-8 declared was the biggest total scored in the first innings by a team that ultimately lost a test.
‘‘The attitude was fantastic,’’ he said, revisiting the seven-wicket loss plus winless ODI and T20 campaigns.
‘‘The way we played cricket, I think it was quite good. The result doesn’t show how competitive we were [in Wellington].
‘‘We’ve made some mistakes, that’s why we were always in a losing side. We just need to minimise those.’’