Visa complications and injuries have forced Bangladesh to make several changes to their A team squad ahead of the second four-day match of the South Africa tour, with Rishad Hossain and Mohammad Saifuddin now getting an unexpected chance to press their claims in red-ball cricket.
Mahidul Islam Ankon and Enamul Haque will return home after their visas could not be extended, while Shahadat Hossain, Zakir Hasan and Iqbal Hossain Emon have been ruled out through injury. Kalam Siddiqui, who played in the first match, has also been left out.
The changes have opened the door for Rishad and Saifuddin. The leg-spinner has been discussed as a potential Test option for Bangladesh, while the team have long been looking for a pace-bowling all-rounder for the longer format.
Selector Nadif Chowdhury said to a local media that the changes were largely forced by the circumstances.
“The visa issue became a major problem. We could not make everything work. With the injuries as well, we ended up in a difficult situation. Now we have no choice but to play players who normally play white-ball cricket.
“It has become a very tight schedule. Player availability and visas have become major problems. We could not organise the squad properly because all the teams are playing at the same time. We have four or five openers playing together, and we are also using white-ball players. It has become a problem.”
Saifuddin had been training with the white ball in Mirpur ahead of the A team’s one-day series in South Africa. He will now have to switch to the red ball. His most recent first-class appearance came in December 2022.
Rishad last played first-class cricket in the National Cricket League in November. He generally plays the longer format when he is free from national-team commitments.
Zakir Ali and Mushfiq Hasan have also been added to the squad after visa problems prevented them from joining the first four-day match. Both had been brought back from the Test squad for the Australia tour to play for the A team.
Nurul Hasan Sohan, Towhid Hridoy and Rejaur Rahman Raja are also part of the squad. Hridoy, who recently made his Test debut in Zimbabwe, will captain the side. Sohan has played 11 Tests, while Rejaur has represented the A team, BCB XI and other Bangladesh sides but is yet to make his Test debut.
Bangladesh A squad: Mohammad Naim Sheikh, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Afif Hossain, Parvez Hossain Emon, Towhid Hridoy (captain), Hasan Murad, Nayeem Hasan, Al Fahad, Rejaur Rahman Raja, Zakir Ali, Mushfiq Hasan, Nurul Hasan Sohan, Rishad Hossain and Mohammad Saifuddin.
