Mushfiqur to give up keeping in Test cricket

Feeling "overloaded", Bangladesh wicket-keeper batsman Mushfiqur Rahim has decided to give up his duties behind the stumps in Test cricket to prolong his career across the formats.

Mushfiqur has been named in Bangladesh's squad for the three-match Twenty20 series in India but they are are yet to name their Test squad.

He has made 67 Test appearances in his career so far and has 103 catches and 31 stumpings to his name.

Mushfiqur said playing in all three formats and playing in domestic T20 leagues, it is increasingly becoming tough to handle workload.

"I am not interested to keep wickets in Test. Now there are lots of games in the upcoming days and I play in all formats. Apart from international cricket, I play in DPL (Dhaka Premier League) and BPL (Bangladesh Premier League). Considering everything, I think it is getting a bit overloaded," Mushfiqur was quoted as saying by the ICC.

Rahim has six centuries and 19 half-centuries in Test cricket.

"I want to perform for a long time and because I am playing across formats I needed to think. I did not have any severe injury during the last five years but at the same time, I did not take a substantial amount of rest. In the future, such scenarios should not arise that I have to take rest in one or two series.

"So instead of that (missing series for rest) the only thing that I can do is minimize my workload and that is only possible by not keeping in Test and that's why I have taken this decision."
"I just don't want to be part of the playing XI; where ever I play I want to give my best."