Today, at the Sher-e-Bangla National stadium in Mirpur, the fitness camp for the 32-member team will get began. At the same time, Bangladesh selectors will enter the important phase to finalize squads for the forthcoming Asia Cup and World Cup, which will both take place this year.
It will be fascinating to watch if the criterion for selecting the teams will finally reduce down to personal preferences, the requirement for experience, or a mix of the two. In light of this, the selectors are in for a tense ride when it comes to prioritizing their goals.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) seems to have a clear vision when it comes to having a strategy for the next days, regardless of whether or not it involves the presence of Bangladesh ODI skipper Tamim Iqbal. However, the administration of the squad is likely going to have a difficult time finding a suitable replacement for the seasoned left-handed batter.
Aside from Tamim, however, a few names are already generating a lot of curiosity: the potential of the return of seasoned Mahmudullah Riyad or Soumya Sarkar — which, according to many, is because Tigers head coach Chandika Hathurusingha has a soft spot for the beautiful stroke-maker. Other than Tamim, however, few names are creating a lot of interest.
During his first stay with the team, Hathurusingha found a remarkable discovery in Soumya. The left-handed batter created a name for himself with some scorching hitting.
Nevertheless, many shifts have taken place throughout the course of these many years. Soumya, who had not participated in a One-Day International since 2021, was taken out of the lineup as a result of his extended stretch of poor batting form. The management of the club had also attempted to utilize Soumya as a seaming all-rounder, but the 30-year-old was unable to change the course of the game.
While batting at number six, Soumya was unable to create an impression in the most recent ACC Emerging Asia Cup, which caused many people to raise their eyebrows over his participation in the tournament. It is not yet clear if the management of the team will opt for a short-term solution for the major event by giving Soumya the position of a finisher; this is something that has to be determined.
In light of the fact that Soumya has been in appalling shape for the better part of the last year, it has come to light that some members of the team management and board officials are not quite sold on the idea that he should be included on the national squad.
On the other side, there has been a great deal of discussion over the possibility of Riyad participating in the big events due to the vast amount of expertise he has. However, there is some concern among the management of the squad over his physical condition and overall shape.
Beginning today, the 37-year-old player, who has not been used in a match since the England series in March of this year, will take part in the preseason camp. The subject of Riyad will be discussed prior to the announcement of a 22–23-person team that will take place throughout the following week.
Riyad’s inclusion in the Tigers’ final squad for the next competitions is said to have just a fifty-fifty probability at this point, according to the sources.
Tamim Iqbal, on the other hand, has been given a week off to recover after receiving a few injections while he is still being monitored in the United Kingdom. The cricket player was given the injections.
After that, the man, now 34 years old, is scheduled to begin his recovery. The treatment approach for Tamim may include his receiving an additional dosage of injection at some point in the near future.
Injections of this kind assist players control their pain within three months, although players may still have discomfort prior to this time period. In such scenario, Tamim’s decision will continue to stand as the ultimate one.