Star Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan is free from injury and set to feature in the second Test against India, according to coach Chandika Hathurusinghe. Reports had indicated that Shakib played through a finger injury during the first Test, which India won by a crushing 280 runs in Chennai. However, Hathurusinghe confirmed there is no doubt about Shakib's availability for the upcoming Test, starting on Friday.
Hathurusinghe stated, 'At the moment I have not heard anything about any sort of injury – neither from the physio nor from anyone else.' He added that Shakib is eligible for selection and any changes to the team would depend on the pitch conditions in Kanpur.
Shakib, a 37-year-old former lawmaker, has faced significant pressure due to a case of alleged murder back home amidst political turmoil in Bangladesh. Despite this, he played a crucial role in Bangladesh's historic Test series win in Pakistan and then returned to England to play county cricket for Surrey instead of heading home before the India tour.
In the first Test, Shakib scored 32 and 25 with the bat but failed to take any wickets. Hathurusinghe expressed confidence in Shakib's ability to perform better, noting that the team's overall performance was more concerning than Shakib's individual effort.
India, led by Rohit Sharma, aims to build on their strong performance in the first Test and extend their lead in the World Test Championship rankings. They will host New Zealand for three Tests next month before embarking on a high-profile tour of Australia.
Meanwhile, rookie fast bowler Akash Deep, who took two wickets in his second Test, emphasized the importance of focusing on the current task rather than future challenges. The pitch at Kanpur's Green Park stadium is expected to be slow and low, with spin likely to play a significant role by day three.
