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Bangladesh wicketkeeper during practice session
Amir Azimi
Cricket

Bangladesh Rest Taskin Ahmed for Afghanistan Test, Hridoy and Jaker Earn Recall

Bangladesh have chosen caution over firepower for their one-off Test against Afghanistan in the UAE, resting pace spearhead Taskin Ahmed and turning instead to form players Towhid Hridoy and Jaker Ali for the October 9–13 clash.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board named a 15-man squad on Saturday, with Najmul Hossain Shanto leading a group that blends familiar faces with a couple of timely recalls. Taskin’s omission is strategic, not punitive, and speaks loudly about where Bangladesh see their real battleground in this World Test Championship cycle.

Taskin rested with West Indies in mind

Taskin, the heartbeat of Bangladesh’s pace attack in recent years, has been deliberately pulled out of the Afghanistan fixture. The message from the selectors is clear: conserve the quick for the bigger wars to come.

“We have decided to give rest to Taskin from this Test match. As we are prioritizing the Test Championship so we are looking forward to getting his full service during the Test series against West Indies,” chief selector Habibul Bashar said, underlining the long game.

There is also a short-term tune-up plan. Taskin is likely to feature in the ODI series against West Indies to sharpen his rhythm before the more demanding Test assignments.

Hridoy rides 350-run epic into Test frame

If there was ever a way to batter down the door to the Test side, Towhid Hridoy found it. His unbeaten 350 against South Africa A in Potchefstroom a couple of weeks ago was the sort of innings that selectors simply cannot ignore.

That knock has now carried him into the Test squad, giving Bangladesh a middle-order option brimming with confidence and heavy scoring behind him. Hridoy’s elevation adds a fresh, aggressive dimension to a batting group that already includes Mushfiqur Rahim, Mominul Haque, and Litton Kumer Das.

Jaker back after near-miss and A-team statement

Jaker Ali’s route back has been more stop-start. He was initially drafted into the Test squad for the Australia series when Litton Das looked doubtful for that tour, only to step aside once Litton recovered in time.

He did not waste the disappointment. In the same Potchefstroom match that showcased Hridoy’s 350, Jaker produced a composed 94 against South Africa A, reinforcing his credentials as a dependable option with the gloves and the bat.

That innings has now been rewarded. “We have replaced Amite Hasan with Jaker Ali taking his form into consideration,” Bashar explained, with Amite Hasan making way after missing out on selection.

For Jaker, this is a return to the longest format after more than a year away. He last played a Test for Bangladesh in July 2025, against Sri Lanka in Galle. Now he re-enters the frame with a clear opportunity to stake a longer-term claim.

Rana managed carefully for home WTC block

While Taskin rests and Jaker and Hridoy step in, another fast bowler remains in the wings. Nahid Rana continues his rehabilitation from a Grade 2 side strain that has sidelined him since July, and the BCB are in no mood to rush him back for a one-off contest.

“Rana will be available from October 10. We have four important WTC matches at home ahead of us, so we want to keep him ready for the two-match Test series against the West Indies and England,” Bashar said.

The timing is tight — his availability date falls during the Afghanistan Test — but the plan is unmistakable: have Rana fully fit and firing for a critical home block in the World Test Championship.

Squad built for now, and for what comes next

The squad named for the Afghanistan Test reads:

  • Najmul Hossain Shanto (Captain)
  • Tanzid Hasan
  • Shadman Islam
  • Soumya Sarkar
  • Mominul Haque Showrab
  • Mushfiqur Rahim
  • Litton Kumer Das
  • Towhid Hridoy
  • Jaker Ali Anik
  • Mehidy Hasan Miraz
  • Taijul Islam
  • Hasan Mahmud
  • Syed Khaled Ahmed
  • Ebadot Hossain Chowdhury
  • Shoriful Islam

It is a group capable of handling Afghanistan in neutral conditions in the UAE, but its design hints at something bigger: a Bangladesh side trying to manage workloads, reward weight of runs, and build a pace unit that can last an entire WTC cycle.

Afghanistan in the desert is the immediate test. West Indies and England, on home soil, loom just over the horizon.

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