IND vs BAN 2024: 5 takeaways from India vs Bangladesh Test series

3. Shakib Al Hasan was not his usual self

The 37-year-old legend of Bangladesh cricket has delivered memorable and match-winning performances with both bat and ball across formats. Shakib's mere presence in the team psychologically boosts the morale and sends out a warning to the opposition. However, the veteran did not look like his usual self.

On the batting front, his scores were 32, 25, 9, and 0. A mere 66 runs from four innings is not what one would expect from him and it substantially affected Bangladesh’s batting performance. Not just the scores but also the manner in which he got out was unlike him. A hoick to show intent in the first innings in Kanpur against a wily Ashwin and a straightforward catch back to the bowler in the second innings summed up the form and mindset of Shakib in this series.

His bowling was way below his high standards too. Notably, he did not pick up a wicket in Chennai. His combined figures read 0/129 from two innings. In Kanpur, he did pick up a four-wicket haul and bowled wisely as the Indian batters were on an attacking mission. However, he conceded 78 runs at 7.09 per over. With an overall tally of 4/225 in the series, Shakib was clearly off-colour.

It can be argued that his performance was affected by what is happening off the field with him. The argument can hold some credence as his demeanour on the field was unlike his usual self.