Mustafizur-less Bangladesh gear up for India Test

Bangladesh will miss the services of left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman -- India's prime tormentor during the men-in-blue's 2015 tour to the country -- in the one-off cricket Test in Hyderabad, starting February 9.

Captain Mushfiqur Rahim and top-order batsmen Mominul Haque and Imrul Kayes, who missed the last Test against New Zealand in Christchurch with injuries, returned to the squad, along with fast bowler Shafiul Islam, according to a report in espncricinfo.

Also returning to the squad is wicketkeeper-batsman Liton Das, who scored a first class double-century in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) recently.

Along with pacer Rahman, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Nurul Hasan and Rubel Hossain were the others left out from the New Zealand-bound squad.

Bangladesh's batting will be bolstered with the return of Mushfiqur, Mominul and Imrul besides giving them an additional opening option in Imrul.

Imrul, the regular opener along with Tamim Iqbal, was replaced after his injury in Christchurch by Soumya Sarkar, who scored 86 and 36.

However, if the team management decides to include both Imrul and Sarkar in the playing XI, the latter will be asked to bat in the middle order, putting the axe on out-of-form Mahmudullah, who has only one half-century to his name in his last 16 innings.

In the pace bowling department, Bangladesh will have the four options in Shafiul Islam, Kamrul Islam Rabbi, Taskin Ahmed and Subhashis Roy.

Besides that, the spin department will have the likes of Shakib Al Hasan, Mehedi Hasan and Taijul Islam.

Squad: Mushfiqur Rahim (Captain & wicket-keeper), Tamim Iqbal, Sabbir Rahman, Mahmudullah, Shakib Al Hasan, Mehedi Hasan, Taijul Islam, Kamrul Islam Rabbi, Soumya Sarkar, Taskin Ahmed, Subashis Roy, Imrul Kayes, Liton Das (wk), Mominul Haque, Shafiul Islam.

--IANS

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