Taskin Unlikely to Play First Test against India

Bangladesh fast bowler Taskin Ahmed is unlikely to play the first Test against India, beginning Wednesday at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium.

Taskin who missed the first two ODIs due to his old back injury, returned to the side for the third and final game but he was not at his best form in that match and conceded 89 runs in nine overs, reports BSS. 

India batters who piled up a record 409-8 and won the game by 227 runs to avoid whitewash were particularly harsh on Taskin, who looked clearly wayward.

After such a horrible performance, the question raised if he has the full match fitness to play a Test match which demands immense physical and mental strength.

"It (Test match workload) has been discussed with the team management. Having just come back from injury, they are worried about my build-up," Taskin said here today.

"I am increasingly working on everything like workload build up, fitness, bowling load. If the team management thinks I will play, then I will play. If not, the management may not allow me for this Test. In that case, the second test should be my target. Management is worried about it. They also talked to me. I have been given a workload plan. I am working accordingly."

There was initial plan of not playing Taskin in the third ODI after he missed the first two matches. But Bangladesh's high ambition to whitewash India forced the team management to include him in the final ODI as he recovered from the back pain completely. At the end the decision backfired.

Pace is the main weapon of Taskin but on that day, he bowled at a pace of meager 130-135 km. At times he bowled at an average of 120 km. It seemed that the pacer did not get the necessary match fitness to play the match.

He bowled today at Chattogram wicket as the Bangladesh team started their preparation for the first Test. At the beginning, Taskin bowled with a small run-up, but gradually increased the pace. Then he tried to bring back the full rhythm. But the question remains, is Taskin ready to play 15 sessions of a Test?