Dhaka, July 23 (IANS) Bangladesh will be without their key fast bowler Ebadot Hossain in the two-Test series against Australia next month as the pacer is ready to welcome his first child.
The Asian side are scheduled to take on Australia in a two-match Test series that commences in Darwin on August 13 as part of the ongoing World Test Championship.
The news on Ebadot has been offset with confirmation that pace spearhead Taskin Ahmed has withdrawn from the Lankan Premier League (LPL) to prepare for the Australia tour, ICC reports.
Taskin had been scheduled to feature for the Jaffna Kings at the LPL, but the 31-year-old has decided to do everything he can to prepare for the Australia tour.
“Yeah it is mainly for preparation (for the Australia tour),” Taskin told The Daily Sun. “We played six back-to-back matches in Zimbabwe; maybe I would have gotten four matches there (in LPL) after my stint there if I returned home and immediately gone to Australia; my Test match preparation would be hampered; despite a little loss, I thought it was okay. The Australia series won’t come around often; that’s why I took the decision, even after having the NOC, so I pulled out from the LPL.”
Meanwhile, Bangladesh is still awaiting the results of scans on the star pacer Nahid Rana, as it remains to be seen if the fast bowler will be fit for the opening Test against Australia.
The team are also hopeful experienced batter Litton Das will be able to shake off his calf complaint to feature against Australia, with Bangladesh set to arrive Down Under at the start of next month ahead of a three-day warm-up fixture in Darwin against a Cricket Australia XI from August 3.
Bangladesh are set to arrive Down Under at the start of next month ahead of a three-day warm-up fixture in Darwin against a Cricket Australia XI from August 3, which will provide them with some valuable practice ahead of the first Test at the same venue and batting coach Mohammad Ashraful is hoping he will have a full complement of players to choose from.
“It will be tough in Australia, but the positive is that we will travel there early…10–12 days in advance,” Ashraful said. “We will have the opportunity to play a three-day practice match, and hopefully, if all our players are fit, we will be able to perform well there.”
