Bangladesh coach drops shocking remark on Shakib Al Hasan's injury issues after Murali Kartik's claims

All eyes were on the ace Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan in the opening Test of the ongoing two-match Test series against India at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

However, Bangladesh's legendary all-rounder looked far from his usual self on Day 3, sparking concerns about his fitness among the fans and cricket pundits during the recent Test in Chennai.

Shakib Al Hasan, known for his sharp spin and tactical acumen, struggled immensely, as he delivered only eight overs in the first inning which turned out to be one of the worst performances of his career.

Shakib Al Hasan faced fitness issues in the Chennai Test against India

The former captain returned wicketless while conceding 50 runs in his eight overs to India. Things went worse in the second innings, as the spin all-rounder gave away 79 runs to the hosts in his 13 overs.

Making the most of Shakib Al Hasan's struggles, Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill both notched up their well-deserved centuries with the tourists getting 515 runs target to win the Chennai Test against India.

The lackluster figures Shakib Al Hasan registered were nothing short of shocking, as it was his most expensive match tally in Test cricket. Even more shocking is that it was for the fifth time in his career that Shakib bowled at least 20 overs in a Test match without taking a single wicket.

It didn’t take long for the rumors to swirl, as reports began to surface about Shakib Al Hasan dealing with serious discomfort in his spinning finger and shoulder during the match.

It seemed that these injuries seemed to have taken a significant toll on his ability to grip and spin the ball effectively. His left index finger had been a long-standing issue.

It's tough to bowl in Test cricket where you need that feel as a spinner: Murali Kartik

It is being said that the veteran all-rounder injured his index finger during the 2023 ODI World Cup. And it wasn’t just his finger, but also his shoulder woes further added to his struggle during the challenging conditions in Chennai.

The drama excavated when former Indian cricketer and commentator Murali Kartik hinted that Shakib’s injuries were much worse than the people had known.

Kartik said on-air during the Chennai Test: “He's had a finger surgery on his bowling finger, which is the point of his finger of his left hand. It is swollen, it is rigid, there's no movement, no suppleness to it.

So, he feels he is not getting any feeling out of it. As a spinner, you need the feeling. Also, he is having issues with his shoulder, so it's a combination of both, and it's tough to bowl in Test cricket where you need that feel as a spinner.”

Bangladesh batting coach unaware of Shakib Al Hasan's injury problems

Shakib had already been sidelined during the ODI World Cup 2023 due to a shoulder issue, and his finger problems had kept him out of action for months.

Despite these concerns, Bangladesh team management has downplayed and completely overlooked Shakib’s injury troubles, leaving fans and experts baffled. Actually, Bangladesh’s batting coach, David Hemp, shockingly claimed to have no knowledge of Shakib’s injury concerns in Chennai.

He said of Shakib’s injury: “No, not aware of that at all, sorry.” Hemp’s statement added fuel to the speculation, raising questions about whether the team management was aware of Shakib’s struggles or whether they had been kept in the dark.