Rubel Hossain to replace Mohammad Shahid in the preliminary squad for the New Zealand tour

Pacer Rubel Hossain has replaced the injured Mohammad Shahid in the 22-member preliminary squad for the New Zealand series. Rubel will, therefore, travel with the team to Australia next week in order to prepare for Bangladesh’s tour of New Zealand. The squad will train in Sydney from December 11 before leaving to New Zealand.

Rubel, who was dropped during the Afghanistan series in September for lacking bowling fitness, was picked ahead of pacemen Kamrul Islam Rabbi, Al-Amin Hossain and Alauddin Babu. Rubel took 15 wickets in 12 matches in the Bangladesh Premier League.

Shahid injured his right knee during Dhaka Dynamites’ BPL encounter against Comilla Victorians on November 26. BCB’s sports physician at that point of time had said that Shahid had suffered from an ACL injury. The medical team observed Shahid for the last two weeks and ended up providing a report to the selectors that didn’t go in his favour. As per the current scenario Shahid might also have to undergo a surgery in near future. But, it likely that the fast bowler would be required to undergo a surgery later this month.

Ebadat Hossain and Tanveer Haider were both passed fit for the training camp in Australia after they had suffered a side strain and a finger injury respectively in September. Chief selector Minhajul Abedin has said that they decided on Rubel because of his experience and also because he had regularly touched 140 km per hour during the BPL.

“It came down to either Rubel or [Kamrul Islam] Rabbi. At the moment Rubel is bowling better. He has better fitness levels and has improved a lot. That’s why we decided to select him,” said Minhajul.

Bangladesh preliminary squad:

Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Mominul Haque, Mahmudullah, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Sabbir Rahman, Soumya Sarkar, Mosaddek Hossain, Nurul Hasan, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Shuvagata Hom Chowdhury, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Taijul Islam, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Shafiul Islam, Subashis Roy, Rubel Hossain, Ebadat Hossain, Tanveer Haider.