A blessing in disguise?

The absence of senior cricketers like Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim could be a blessing in disguise for the Bangladesh team as the selectors can now test out the bench strength to find the answer to the burning question, ‘Who is the next after the famous five?’

Mashrafe Bin Mortaza’s international career being almost done and dusted technically ends the ‘fabulous five’ era. And from the remaining four, Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim will not be available during the five-match twenty20 international series against Australia scheduled to start from August 3.

Tamim is out of the series with a knee injury and neither Mushfiq nor Liton could comply with the bio-security protocols of the series due to personal reasons, leading to them being not included.

Without Tamim, Mushfiq and Liton, the Tigers might find it difficult against the Aussies. But at the same time, it gives an opportunity to youngsters like Afif Hossain, Nurul Hasan Sohan, and Shamim Hossain to mark their spot in the team.

Sohan has always been regarded as a talented wicket-keeper but he could not make his way to the side as Mushfiq was always there. Unfortunately, Bangladesh lost both Mushfiq and Liton in the later part of the Zimbabwe series and Sohan played a couple of responsible knocks to impress the selectors.

Another promising youngster in the T20Is, Afif, could not make it to the national team regularly and batted lower down the order despite playing in the top-order for most of his career. And the Australia series might just serve him as the best possible launch-pad.

Former selector Faruk Ahmed also thinks that if Tamim and Mushfiq were available, it would be difficult for the youngsters to get the opportunity they have now.

“Honestly speaking, if Tamim and Mushfiq were available, some of these youngsters might not be in the playing XI. So I think this is a very big opportunity for them to express themselves against a team like Australia. If they don’t feel it, act like someone who comes and goes in one series and waits for another call, then they will be missing out on a big opportunity,” Faruk told The Business Post.

“You cannot have all the good players forever. This is also an opportunity to check out the bench strength, especially before the World Cup, and the results against a team like Australia will give you the clear picture,” he added.

Another former captain, who is associated with the national team but sought anonymity, told TBP that Bangladesh head coach Russel Domingo also believes that this is a chance to test the youngsters.

“The coach was saying a day or two back that this is the opportunity to test the youngsters. Many might not be playing if Tamim and Mushfiq were available. So this is a test for us also, to see how good these youngsters are. But it is a big opportunity for them to find a place in the regular team,” he said.