India vs Bangladesh: Can Shakib Al Hasan finish his career in style?

On Thursday, former Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan made a shocking statement regarding his international career, announcing his retirement after the South Africa tour scheduled next month in Mirpur. Additionally, he has announced his retirement from the shorter format of the game, though he will continue to play the 50-over format, with an eye on the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy, scheduled for 2025.

The veteran all-rounder has struggled with form and injuries for a long time, leading to periods of being in and out of the Bangladesh national cricket team. However, like many cricketers, the left-handed batter will certainly aim to finish his career on a high note, possibly with a match-winning performance for his team. Shakib was part of the Bangladesh squad that made history by defeating Pakistan in a 2-match Test series on Pakistan's home soil.

Despite coming off a great win in Pakistan, Shakib failed to lead his team to victory in the opening game against India, losing by a margin of 280 runs in Chennai. In the first match, Shakib was struck on the thumb by Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah, which delayed his bowling until after the 50th over. His performance was underwhelming with both bat and ball, scoring just 32 and 25 runs, respectively. In the bowling department, he bowled 8 and 13 overs, conceding over 120 runs.

As Shakib is just one series away from saying goodbye to Test cricket, fans are hopeful he will perform well in the must-win second match of the 2-match series against India, scheduled for September 27 in Kanpur. A strong showing in this match could provide Bangladesh fans with a memorable farewell from the iconic all-rounder, especially as the country faces challenges, including ongoing protests that led to the resignation of the Prime Minister.

Shakib Al Hasan has represented the Bangladesh national cricket team in 70 Tests, amassing 4600 runs with 5 centuries and 31 half-centuries at an average of 38. He has also taken 242 wickets. The 37-year-old cricketer is set for one last dance on the spinning track of Kanpur, which is known to offer considerable assistance to spinners.

Probable Playing XI:

India:

Rohit Sharma (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep

Bangladesh:

Shadman Islam, Zakir Hasan, Nazmul Hossain Shanto (C), Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Liton Das (wk), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana