Rubel calls it quits from red-ball cricket

Pacer Rubel Hossain has decided to hang up his boots from all forms of red-ball cricket to provide opportunities to younger fast bowlers.

Rubel announced his decision through a post on his official Facebook page on Monday, which he posted after submitting a letter to the Bangladesh Cricket Board.

“The longer version tournaments play an important role to strengthen the national team’s pipeline. I feel the more young pacers play these tournaments, the stronger our pipeline will get. So, I have decided to retire from red-ball cricket to give younger pacers the opportunity. I am grateful to those who have helped me on this path.

“But I have the ability to give something to the national team in white-ball cricket. So, I will continue playing white-ball domestic cricket,” Rubel wrote.

Rubel has played 27 Tests for Bangladesh, where he has picked up 36 wickets in total with an average of 76.77. In first-class cricket, he has played 60 matches, picking up 97 wickets.

Rubel debuted for Bangladesh in the longest format in 2009 and played his last Test against Pakistan in 2020.

Rubel last played for the national team in April 2021, when he played a Twenty20 International against New Zealand. He went to the 2021 T20 World Cup as a reserve player, and was later included in the squad following Mohammad Saif Uddin’s injury, but did not play a match.