Bangladesh have named a 15 member squad for the opening Test against Australia, with wicketkeeper batter Jaker Ali making a recall and pacer Musfik Hasan handed another opportunity, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) confirmed in a media release on Sunday.
Jaker’s inclusion comes on the back of an encouraging run in domestic cricket. Representing the Bangladesh Emerging Team against Zimbabwe A last month, he scored half centuries in all three innings he batted across two four day matches. Before that, his last first class outing had come in April during the Bangladesh Cricket League, a match cut short after he suffered an injury while fielding for 81 overs, ruling him out of batting. He also had a solid campaign for Abahani in the Dhaka Premier League, Bangladesh’s leading 50 over domestic competition, scoring a century in six matches.
Jaker returns to the Test squad after a year away, his last national team appearance having come in a T20I against Ireland in November last year. According to BCB sources, his recall is not purely a reward for form but also a consequence of regular wicketkeeper batter Litton Das being ruled out of the opening Test in Darwin through injury. Since his Test debut in October 2024, Jaker has scored 337 runs in six matches at an average of 30.63, with four half centuries, and remains in search of a maiden Test hundred after coming close with a 91 against Sri Lanka in November 2024.
Opener Soumya Sarkar also returns after more than five years away from the format, having last played a Test in February 2021 against West Indies in Mirpur. Musfik Hasan, the tall right arm pacer first called up for the Afghanistan Test back in 2023, has been included once again but is still waiting for his Test debut.
Elsewhere, top order batter Mahmudul Hasan Joy has been dropped following a prolonged run of poor form, while right handed batter Amit Hasan, who made his Test debut on the recent Zimbabwe tour, keeps his place in the squad.
Bangladesh’s injury list remains a concern heading into the series. Young pacer Nahid Rana has been ruled out of the entire tour, with Musfik Hasan drafted in as his replacement, while Shoriful Islam is also unavailable through injury. For the first Test, the pace attack is set to be led by Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Khaled Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain and Musfik Hasan, with Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam heading the spin department.
The squad will depart for Australia on 31 July and play a three day warm up match against a Cricket Australia XI at DXC Arena in Darwin from 6 to 8 August. The first Test begins on 13 August at Marrara Cricket Ground in Darwin, with the second and final Test starting on 22 August at Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay.
Bangladesh squad for the first Test:
Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Soumya Sarkar, Shadman Islam, Tanzid Hasan, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Amite Hasan, Jaker Ali Anik, Mehidy Hasan Miraz (vice captain), Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Khaled Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain Chowdhury and Musfik Hasan.
