Bangladesh Test skipper Shakib Al Hasan started full-fledged preparation for the upcoming one-off Test series against Afghanistan, slated to begin on September 5 immediate after returning home from the USA.
BCB Cricket Operations chairman Akram Khan informed that the captain was so serious about the one-off Test and subsequent tri-nation T20 series involving Afghanistan and Zimbabwe that he was reluctant to miss a single hour once he lands the country.
“He landed at the airport around 3am and then went home to take some rest before joining the practice session at 9 am,” Akram Khan said here on Saturday.
“He was so tired but still he comes to practice. When the captain is such serious, it is a huge positive side for the team. And we know when he plays well, Bangladesh becomes a different team.”
Shakib, who had a remarkable World Cup, earlier skipped the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, joined in net session as skill training takes the center-stage after conditioning camp in the opening week.
Shakib batted for quite some time in the nets before he decided to go into the dressing room to relax considering he was having kind of a jet lag due to his long flight.
Others were seen doing fielding session under the guidance of Ryan Cook as he also joined the preparation camp for the first time since it started weeks earlier with some of the batsmen getting some time at the center wicket.
Shakib was in exceptional form in the World Cup , scoring with 606 runs at an average of 86.57 and also picked up 11 wickets. He struck two centuries and five half-centuries but admitted he was exhausted in the last two games Bangladesh played against India and Pakistan.
But after the tournament, he stated that he was mentally and physically fatigued and wanted to skip the tour of Sri Lanka and in the meantime completed his Hajj.
The arrival of Shakib can surely be some sort of relief for the newly appointed head coach Russell Domingo who took over the control from the strength and conditioning trainer Mario Villavarayan.
