Najmul Hossain Shanto injury update: BCB provides medical bulletin on captain ahead of Test series vs Pakistan

Bangladesh National Cricket Team will be hosting the Pakistan National Cricket Team for a two-match Test series. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced the team last night, with Najmul Hossain Shanto to lead the side for the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-2027 cycle. Previously, Bangladesh won a Test series against Pakistan last year in Pakistan, creating a record.

However, ahead of the first Test match, there has been an injury issue with the captain of the side, who sustained a hamstring injury during the third ODI against New Zealand in Chattogram. Najmul Hossain Shanto suffered the injury while hitting a century, his first in more than two years, and then opted to rest after picking up the injury.

He (Najmul Hossain Shanto) will come tomorrow - Debashish Chowdhury

As per reports from Cricbuzz, it is believed that Najmul Hossain Shanto will be available for the first Test, which is scheduled on May 8 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. Despite the injury, Najumul Hossain Shanto paid a visit to the practice session and spoke with the Test players who were being trained by Sohel Islam.

"It [the injury] didn't seem that bad to me," BCB chief physician Debashish Chowdhury told Cricbuzz on Monday. "He (Najmul Hossain Shanto) will come tomorrow (Tuesday) and we will see him. And from what I've heard and the information I've received, it didn't seem that bad to me," he said.

"He has no pain at this moment and there is no pain while walking. We will still examine him physically tomorrow," he added.

We have done very well- Habibul Bashar

Previously, chief selector Habibul Bashar hinted at a change in the intent of playing Test cricket for Bangladesh in the upcoming years. As they would take an attacking approach going forward. It will be interesting to see whether this shift helps the Bangla Tigers in the future, as many teams have failed to win by taking this approach.

"This series we are going to play is part of our Test Championship. Of course, so far we cannot proudly say that we have done very well in the Test Championship. Our plan is to perform well in this Test Championship. Earlier we didn't do very well, so we want to take ourselves a bit higher from there," Bashar said at a press conference alongside fellow selector Naeem Hasan in Chattogram.

We might play cricket in a different way- Habibul Bashar

"To do that, we might play cricket in a different way. We might move towards a more attacking style of cricket. You have seen we have taken a new opener - that is part of the plan. Our bowling side is okay. We have the ability to take 20 wickets."

"If we can be consistent in batting, Bangladesh will do well in the Test Championship. The style might change a bit. I'm not saying Bazball, but the style might change," he added.

Bangladesh squad for two-match series vs Pakistan: Najmul Hossain Shanto (C), Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Ebadot Hossain, Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Shoriful Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Nahid Rana, Tanzid Hasan, Amit Hasan

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