WI vs BAN: Yasir Ali Ruled Out Of West Indies Test Series

Bangladesh batter Yasir Ali was ruled out of the upcoming two-match Test series against the West Indies because of a back injury. The 26-year-old suffered the injury while batting for Bangladesh in the three-day warm-up match against Cricket West Indies President’s XI at the Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG) on June 10.

Yasir, who has played five Tests for Bangladesh since November 2021, was expected to bat in the middle-order in the two Tests in the absence of veteran player Mushfiqur Rahim, who skipped the complete tour to West Indies to perform Hajj.

Yasir Ali ruled out of the West Indies Test series

Yasir did not play further in the warm-up game after an MRI scan detected  Discogenic Back Pain in the Lumbar Spine. Bangladesh team physio Bayjedul Islam confirmed that Yasir won’t be available to play for at least three weeks.

“Recovery from such injuries takes about two to three weeks time. Therefore, he will not be available for the Test series,” Bayjedul said in a statement. 

Yasir has scored 196 runs in five Tests at an average of 24.50 with just one half-century in nine innings. He made 55 in the second Test against New Zealand in Christchurch, in which Bangladesh by an innings and 117 runs, and thus, missed a chance of winning their first Test series in the Oceania country.

Shakib Al Hasan to lead Bangladesh in the West Indies Test series

Yasir didn’t get the chance to play in the two-match series against Sri Lanka last month at home as senior all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan returned to the side.

Mominul Haque stepped down from the Test captaincy role to concentrate on his batting after poor returns with the bat – 162 runs in six Tests in 2022. Shakib was named the red-ball captain to lead the side in the upcoming Test series, starting on Thursday (June 16) in Antigua.

Bangladesh Test squad for West Indies Tests: Mominul Haque, Tamim Iqbal, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Litton Das (wk), Shakib Al Hasan (c), Mustafizur Rahman, Taijul Islam, Khaled Ahmed, Nurul Hasan (wk), Mosaddek Hossain, Ebadot Hossain, Shohidul Islam, Rezaur Rahman Raja.

Also Read: WI vs BAN: Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam Eye Return After Missing WI Tests