Soumya Sarkar made a surprising return to the Bangladesh Test side for the first time in five years for their upcoming tour of Australia, which starts on 13 July. The Bangla Tigers have also selected Jaker Ali and Musfik Hasan for the first Test of the series. Sarkar last played a Test for Bangladesh in 2021, against the West Indies, returning with scores of 0 and 13.
A long list of injuries, including those suffered by Litton Das, Nahid Rana and Shoriful Islam, has forced the selectors’ hands. They have also recalled Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taskin Ahmed. These players were rested for the one-off Test tour against Zimbabwe last month. Miraz was named the vice-captain for this tour. Mahidul Islam, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Towhid Hridoy, Nayeem Hasan and Robiul Haque, meanwhile, were left out.
Sarkar’s return to the Test fold warrants a lot of questions, as he only averages 33.67 in first-class cricket. In the 16 Tests he has played so far, the southpaw has scored just 831 runs at a poor average of 27.70. Designated as a seam-bowling all-rounder, Sarkar has flattered to deceive with the ball, too.
In first-class cricket, Sarkar has picked up 72 wickets in 98 matches. Yet, at the highest level, he has returned just four Test wickets so far in his career. Jaker Ali’s selection is a dubious one, too, as he has not batted even once in first-class cricket since his last Test appearance for Bangladesh more than a year ago in Sri Lanka.
However, these calls were backed by chief selector Habibul Bashar.
“We definitely had a few things in mind. When we picked Soumya, we had in mind that we are going to have two left-handers at the same time. Soumya Sarkar is definitely someone who has played international cricket for a long time, and the pace we are expecting in Australia, he is used to it,” Bashar said (as per Cricbuzz).
The former Bangladesh captain also defended Jaker Ali’s selection.
“Jaker Ali was not playing badly in the Test match. When he was out of the team, he was actually fighting with his form. Then we took Jaker Ali as we had a lot of games ahead of us and we wanted him to come back after playing these games because his mental state was not very good at that time, I mean he was a little devastated,” he said (as per Cricbuzz).
The Bangla Tigers will depart for Australia on 31 July. They will play a three-day warm-up match against Cricket Australia XI at the Marrara Cricket Ground in Darwin from 6 August. The first Test will take place at the same venue on 13 August. The second will be played at the Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay on 22 August.
Bangladesh’s 15-member squad for the first Test: Najmul Hossain Shanto (Captain), Mehidy Hasan Miraz (Vice-Captain), Soumya Sarkar, Shadman Islam, Tanzid Hasan, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Amite Hasan, Jaker Ali Anik, Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Syed Khaled Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain Chowdhury, Mushfiq Hasan.
