Shakib Al Hasan is awaiting the results of a second bowling action test in Chennai after failing a previous assessment at Loughborough University in the UK. This test led to his suspension from bowling in both domestic and international cricket.
Shakib’s bowling action was reported as suspect during an English county match in September, prompting action from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). According to the International Cricket Councilβs (ICC) regulations for illegal bowling actions, his suspension was automatically enforced in both international and domestic competitions.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is waiting on the Chennai test results before finalizing their Champions Trophy squad. Shakib remains a potential inclusion, with BCB President Faruque Ahmed stating his desire to see Shakib return to the team. Additionally, Bangladesh’s captain, Najmul Hossain Shanto, has supported Shakib’s return to the ODI squad.
Shakib has been absent from international cricket since playing in the two Tests against India last year. He also could not travel back to Bangladesh due to protests from students. After the India Tests, Shakib was reported for his bowling action in England, resulting in his suspension in December. He continued playing in franchise cricket in the UAE and Sri Lanka during this period.
BCB Chief Selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain mentioned that Shakib recently underwent a second test in Chennai but couldn’t confirm all the details. He expressed surprise at Shakib’s failure to pass the Loughborough test and indicated that the board is waiting for confirmation about the second test results.
Meanwhile, Shakib’s former coach Mohammad Salahuddin, who has been in contact with Shakib through video calls, believes the issue with his bowling action stems from trying to generate more spin in a county match. Salahuddin explained that Shakib’s attempt to use more upper-body strength, instead of relying on his legs, may have caused the irregularities in his action. However, he is confident Shakib can fix the issue without a significant change to his action.
