Mushfiqur Rahim has been ruled out of the first Test against West Indies after sustaining a contusion injury to his right index finger during training on Tuesday, but Bangladesh are hopeful of having the veteran batter back for the second Test in Sylhet on 5 November.
Bangladesh national team physiotherapist Bayjedul Islam Khan confirmed the development in a video message sent by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), saying the injury had not improved sufficiently by Wednesday morning.
“Yesterday, Mushfiqur Rahim sustained an injury to his right index finger during practice. He remained under observation afterwards, but there had not been sufficient improvement by this morning. It is a contusion injury, and we hope he will recover within the next three days. He will be available for the next Test,” Bayjedul said.
Mushfiqur scored 81 in his last Test outing against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi earlier this month. His absence sees Towhid Hridoy come into the playing XI for the series opener at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur, where Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bat first.
The opening Test is also the first of Bangladesh’s remaining six matches in the 2025-27 World Test Championship cycle. They need four wins and at least one draw from those six Tests to secure a place in the final for the first time.
