In the absence of regular skipper and ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, Bangladesh’s stand-in captain Najmul Hossain Shanto has stated that returning all-rounder Soumya Sarkar will play a key role in the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand.
“Soumya’s role will be very important,” Shanto told reporters today, a day before the first ODI in Dunedin.
“Because Shakib bhai is not here, his bowling will be very important, as will his batting.” I believe the team management and selectors chose him with these considerations in mind. “He also has the experience,” Shanto noted.
Soumya returned to the ODI team in September after a two-and-a-half-year absence, but was left out of the World Cup selection.
The Southpaw was summoned to the white-ball team for Bangladesh’s ODI and T20 series against New Zealand and, based on hints dropped by skipper Shanto, is set to replace the injured Shakib in the playing eleven.
Soumya seemed in good form in the tour’s lone practice game on December 14, which Bangladesh won by 26 runs, scoring 59 off 51 balls against the New Zealand XI and going wicketless in four overs while giving 25.
The 30-year-old’s ODI figures in New Zealand, however, do not paint a rosy image, with 173 runs in nine innings at an average of 15.44 and only one wicket.