Mustafiz: To play or not to play?

Bangladesh are in a spot of bother as the Tigers are losing one pacer after another in their fast-bowling contingent due to injury, and that has led to an old question resurfacing, that of whether fast-bowler Mustafizur Rahman will make a return to the Test fold or not.

Shoriful Islam was the latest casualty for Bangladesh in the pace bowling department with his injury during Bangladesh’s Test against Sri Lanka, after Taskin Ahmed was injured during the Tigers’ South Africa tour.

Mustafiz has not featured in Tests since the West Indies series in February 2021 and has not been included in the central Test contracts, despite being the lead bowler for the Tigers in the white-ball formats. He has been playing for Indian Premier League side Delhi Capitals since the end of the ODI series in South Africa.

Now with a depleted fast-bowling attack, Bangladesh are considering bringing him in for their upcoming Test series against West Indies.

“I have spoken with Mustafiz regarding the next series. We will prepare the team for the West Indies series after returning to Dhaka. We will discuss these matters then,” Chief selector Minhazul Abedin said to the media on Thursday.

He added, “When a player is in his best form, we absolutely need him to play for us. If we need Mustafiz, we will recruit him.”

Bangladesh skipper Mominul Haque left the decision to the selectors.

“It’s up the board. It’s their decision, and I leave it to the board. If the board demands it, then he’ll definitely play,” Mominul said in the post-match press conference on Thursday.

Mominul also shared his concerns about Mustafiz playing Tests.

“You have to see how long Mustafiz has played red-ball cricket. You have to consider a lot of things. There is an issue with fitness as well. Our frontline pacers are injured, so if needed he will definitely play,” he said.

While Mustafiz’s Test record is a concern, Mominul said that Bangladesh pacers were inexperienced anyway.

“I don’t know many Tests Mustafiz has played but none of our fast bowlers are experienced. I doubt if they have played 20 Tests together,” he said.

Bangladesh are in dire need of a frontline pacer in West Indies as they are just left with Ebadot Hossain and Khaled Ahmed after both Taskin and Shoriful were ruled out for the Test series against West Indies.

“There is no possibility of Shoriful playing in the Tests, we might get him back for the white-ball formats. According to the information we have, we probably won’t get Taskin in the Tests, we might get his services in the white-ball formats,’’ said Minhazul.

Mustafiz had deemed bio-bubble fatigue issues to be one of the main reasons behind his exclusion, but such protocols have eased out, and it remains to be seen if he will be called up for the Tests in West Indies.

But the bigger question is, will the Bangladesh Cricket Board force a cricketer, who they had let withdraw from a format, to play Tests again. And in such a dire time when they are running out of options, they might have no other card to play.