Taijul Islam Doubtful For Bangladesh’s Test Series Vs Australia

Taijul Islam suffers injury [Source: x]

The Bangladesh cricket team has been dealt a severe blow before their all-important Test tour of Australia. Roughly a week prior to the series-opener in Darwin, senior spinner Taijul Islam has suffered a bone contusion to his bowling finger. 

The incident occurred during the opening day of Bangladesh’s three-day tour match against Cricket Australia XI at the Marrara Oval in Darwin. 

Taijul Islam under observation before Test series

Senior Bangladesh spinner Taijul Islam has suffered a finger injury before his team’s all-important two-match Test series against Australia. The cricketer has now been put under observation by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).

Bangladesh team physio Bayjedul Islam Khan has said that Taijul’s finger has been bandaged and the 34-year-old was rested from the remainder of Bangladesh’s tour match in Darwin as a precautionary measure. 

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He said “Taijul injured his bowling finger while batting yesterday. It is a bone contusion. We have kept it bandaged since then. He has been rested for the whole day today, and we will assess him again tomorrow.”

Musfik Hasan replaced Taijul in tour match

On the opening day of Bangladesh’s tour match against Cricket Australia XI, Taijul Islam sustained his finger injury. Batting at number nine, the cricketer scored just 10 runs off 15 balls, before getting ruled out of the remainder of the match.

In his absence, the Bangladesh team management requested with the match officials to use Musfik Hasan as a replacement for Taijul. 

With the BCB team managing Taijul's condition, uncapped Musfik took field in Darwin in place of the senior spinner. However, the 23-year-old did not bowl a single over in the entire match, even though he was permitted to. 

Will Taijul play first Test vs Australia?

As of now, the BCB has made no official statement regarding the availability status of Taijul for the upcoming two-match Test series against Australia. 

His fitness, however, will be closely monitored by the BCB team, and the board will be expected to take the final call over the coming days. The first Test of the two-match series between Australia and Bangladesh will be played at the Marrara Oval in Darwin from August 13 till August 17.

How will Taijul Islam’s absence impact Bangladesh?

If Taijul Islam fails to attain full recovery and misses the first Test for Bangladesh, it will be a huge blow for the visitors given his experience and importance to their spin attack.

A veteran of 60 Tests, the 34-year-old has scalped 270 wickets at an impressive bowling average of 30.21, picking up 19 five-wicket hauls in the process. Bangladesh’s most successful Test bowler of all time, the cricketer recently decimated Pakistan to script his team’s historic 2-0 Test series victory at home.

He also picked up a match-winning seven-fer against Zimbabwe just a few weeks ago in Harare. His absence could therefore leave a significant void in Bangladesh’s bowling attack, as they prepare to face a formidable Australian side in unfamiliar conditions.

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