Fitness and other things need to be considered for Mustafizur Rahman’s Test comeback: Mominul Haque

Mustafizur Rahman hasn't played Test cricket for Bangladesh since February 2021. He is currently playing for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2022.

Bangladesh Test skipper Mominul Haque Showrabh said that fitness and plenty of other factors need to be taken into account for Mustafizur Rahman’s comeback in Test cricket. The left-arm pacer from Satkhira last played in the purest format way back in February 2021 against the West Indies and since then, has only taken part in limited-overs cricket.

After making his Test debut in 2015, the 26-year-old has only taken part in 14 Tests, picking up 30 wickets with two four-wicket hauls to his name. Mominul put forth his opinions after Bangladesh’s drawn Test match against Sri Lanka at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram.

''If you are saying whether I demand him (Mustafizur in the Test team), then if the board gives him, he will naturally play,'' Mominul was quoted as saying.

''Firstly, you have to see how many days Mustafizur played in red ball (cricket) and a lot of things depend on that for how many days he is playing or not, and there is the fitness issue. If we require him, we will play him, because we are missing some of our frontline bowlers,” he stated.

''I am not aware how many Tests Mustafizur played and, to be honest, no pace bowler is experienced in Bangladesh and that is the truth, and probably they have played 20 Tests altogether. What I feel is experience hardly matters to them (pace bowlers)," Mominul added.

Earlier, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (ECB) said that it will have a discussion with Mustafizur regarding his future in Test cricket. The BCB said that it wants Mustafizur to continue playing Test cricket. The pacer is currently in India, taking part in the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL).

After their home series against the Sri Lankans, Bangladesh will travel to West Indies for two Tests, three ODIs and as many T20Is.