BCB wait on Shakib Al Hasan’s bowling action test results from Chennai for CT 2025 choices

As they await the test findings of ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan‘s bowling action, the Bangladesh Cricket Board is anxious. His eligibility for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy squad will be determined by the results, which are anticipated in a few days.

During a county game for Surrey in England in September 2024, Shakib Al Hasan bowling was questioned.

He was suspended by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) after a suspicious action was reported. He was prohibited from bowling in all game formats due to the ICC’s restrictions. He was suspended from both domestic and international cricket after an initial test at Loughborough University revealed anomalies in his behaviour.

A second bowling action test was recently conducted on the veteran at a Chennai facility. With the ICC’s deadline for team announcements on January 12, the BCB is currently awaiting these results before completing their roster for the coveted Champions Trophy.

His bowling motion doesn’t need to be much altered: Muhammad Salahuddin

Prominent members of the BCB and the team have already expressed support for Shakib’s possible inclusion. Both ODI captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and board president Faruque Ahmed have publicly stated their wish to see Shakib return to action. Both think Bangladesh’s tournament campaign might benefit greatly from the all-rounder’s expertise.

Hearing that Shakib failed the bowling action test [at Loughborough] was really startling. I’ll have to see if he’s put himself to the test once more. We will have to wait for this data. We have not received complete instructions on Shakib from the board. Every minute matters, in my opinion. Gazi Ashraf Hossain, the top selector for the BCB, said, “I’m confident we can resolve this in a day or two.”

Shakib has been putting a lot of effort into fixing his bowling action problems in the interim. Shakib has benefited greatly from Coach Muhammad Salahuddin’s guidance during video chats. Salahuddin talked candidly about the small changes needed to get Shakib’s action back on track.

“He completed the test already. I am well-versed in Shakib’s bowling technique. I was unable to travel to India to train him. I believe he is aware of what to do. We talked about some of the issues he has with his arm. His bowling motion doesn’t need to be much altered. He is also capable of doing it fast. However, when an accusation is made, one normally has to consider it,” Salahuddin said on Tuesday on Jamuna TV.