Bangladesh’s preparations for their eagerly anticipated Test tour of Australia have suffered an early setback, with express pacer Nahid Rana locked in a race against time to recover from a side strain ahead of the two-match series next month.
The 23-year-old quick, regarded as one of Bangladesh’s brightest red-ball prospects, sustained the injury during the second T20I against Zimbabwe, just days after producing a career-best performance of 4 for 26 in the series opener. He has already been ruled out of Sunday’s series decider.
Rana’s outing in the second match was cut short after he suffered the injury midway through his spell, forcing him off the field after bowling only 2.3 overs. The speedster finished with figures of 1 for 15 and is expected to spend the next two to three weeks on the sidelines.
The Tigers are set to tour Australia for a Test series for the first time in 18 years, with the two matches forming part of the ongoing World Test Championship cycle.
Rana’s potential absence would come as a major blow for Bangladesh, who view the youngster as a vital weapon in Australian conditions. Standing well over six feet tall and capable of consistently clocking speeds in excess of 145 kmph, he has added a new dimension to Bangladesh’s bowling attack since bursting onto the international scene.
The right-arm pacer has enjoyed a breakthrough year in international cricket. Earlier this year, he emerged as one of Bangladesh’s leading wicket-takers in the ODI series against New Zealand, claiming eight wickets and sharing the Player of the Series award. His raw pace also troubled Australia during their white-ball tour of Bangladesh in June, earning him widespread praise as one of the standout performers of the series.
CRUCIAL PIECE IN BANGLADESH’S PACE PUZZLE
Bangladesh are expected to lean heavily on their seam attack in Australia, with Rana tipped to spearhead the pace battery alongside Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam. Ahead of the opening Test, the visitors will face a Cricket Australia XI in a three-day warm-up match in Darwin from August 5 to 7, although the team is likely to tread cautiously with the young quick’s recovery.
A member of Bangladesh’s national selection panel confirmed the development to Cricbuzz and said the team management was anxiously awaiting the scan results, which will determine the severity of the injury and the timeline for Rana’s return.
“The way he is bowling at the moment, missing him in the Australia tour would be a big blow, so we are waiting to see the depth of his injury and actually how many days he will take to recover,” the selector said.
Rana’s rise has been one of the biggest positives for Bangladesh over the past year. The Chapai Nawabganj-born speedster has quickly established himself as one of the fastest bowlers the country has produced and remains central to the team’s plans in the longer format.
The opening Test will get underway at the Marrara Cricket Ground in Darwin on August 13, before the teams travel to Mackay for the second and final Test, scheduled to begin at the Great Barrier Reef Arena on August 22.
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