India vs Bangladesh: Mohammad Saifuddin ruled out of the T20I series

Prior to Bangladesh’s tour India, scheduled to get underway on November 3, the Tigers have been jolted with a body blow. Mohammad Saifuddin, their premier fast bowler, has been ruled out of the series. For the speedster, it’s his persistent back injury that has again come back to haunt him.

Multiple scans have suggested that the Chittagong-born Saifuddin will take a bit more time to attain the desired level of fitness. The 22-year-old seamer will now continue with his rehabilitation program and will be monitored by the medical team of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).

“Due to a reoccurring back injury Shaif will be rested from the India tour this year giving him an opportunity to consolidate his recovery over a longer period of time,” Julian Calefato, the Bangladesh National Team Physiotherapist, was quoted as saying in a media release.

Mohammad Saifuddin’s wait prolongs

“He now will also have the opportunity to spend more time strengthening his body and his situation will be reviewed by the medical team again in the upcoming weeks for further updates,” he added.

Saifuddin’s omission has meant that Bangladesh have only three pacers- Mustafizur Rahman, Shafiul Islam and Al Amin Hossain- in the mix. It remains to be seen whether the BCB opts for Saifuddin’s replacement or not. Saifuddin last donned the national colours in Bangladesh’s T20I tri-series at home also involving, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe. There he picked up seven wickets in four games.

He also hasn’t played the National Cricket League (NCL), Bangladesh’s domestic first-class cricket tournament. It was during the 2019 World Cup when Saifuddin was going through the back pain. He was one of the Tigers’ strike-bowlers, but the injury made him miss a crucial match versus Australia.

Apart from Saifuddin’s omission, Bangladesh could end up facing more troubles. It’s because Tamim Iqbal could miss a part of the India tour due to some personal reasons. Tamim went on a sabbatical after a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Sri Lanka where he was the skipper.

The series in India was set to mark his return and also provide stability to the vulnerable Bangladesh top order. As far as the upcoming fixtures are concerned, the opening T20I will be played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. After the three T20Is, two Tests will be played in Indore and Kolkata.

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