Intrigue and excitement surrounds Shakib’s return

Today is set to be Shakib Al Hasan's final day of the year-long ban from all forms of cricket imposed by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

The ace all-rounder was given the ban by the ICC for failing to inform them of multiple approaches from an Indian bookie.

The ban, initially set for two years if the left-arm off-spinner hadn't accepted the offense, was cut in half to one as he accepted all the charges. 

With Thursday set to be the big day when Shakib is set free and will look to participate in the upcoming T20 tournament organised by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), The Business Standard caught up with five of Shakib's Bangladesh teammates to see how they are feeling as the star all-rounder is finally back in action.    

Mohammad Saifuddin 

Not only us his teammates but also millions of Shakib Bhai's fans are waiting to see him back in action. I am no different. We are really looking forward to having him back. He is vastly experienced as a cricketer, having played all over the world.

I always look to learn from him how to hold the nerves in pressure situations. Though I didn't miss him much as I didn't get to play much because of my injury. I'm waiting to play alongside him again and learn many more things.

The results in the India and Pakistan tour would have been different had he been there. His absence always has an effect no matter what the format is.

Rubel Hossain 

I'm very happy. It can easily be understood how Shakib Bhai's presence boosts the morale of the team. 

The senior cricketers are indispensable parts of the team. So if one of them is absent, it really hurts the balance and morale of the team. Shakib Bhai is a special cricketer. I hope he will come back stronger.

We haven't had much action, but we definitely missed him. Because since I made my debut, I have been playing alongside him. His presence gives us an edge as he contributes in all departments of the game. He trained at the BKSP earlier, now he'll do that with us. I believe that he will continue to perform well.

Nurul Hasan Sohan

We all are waiting eagerly for Shakib Bhai's comeback. A cricketer of his stature inspires the ones playing with him. We can learn a lot of things while playing alongside him. That's why everyone missed him badly.

I didn't play much but missed his presence. He did not miss a great deal of action though- only a couple of series and the BPL. The positive thing is that cricket has returned and he is also making a comeback.

I don't think this long break will affect his game too much. He must have trained to keep himself fit. We too were away from cricket for a long time. I think we don't have to wait for more than a couple of games to see the dangerous version of him.

Taskin Ahmed

Shakib Bhai is back and there can be no better news than this. We have a lot to learn from him and when he is in the dressing room with us, it feels great and gives us more confidence.

Not only does the team benefit from his presence but we can learn new things from him. The way he trains, his game planning and the way he thinks about the game are all very educational for us. I missed him in the BCB President's Cup. 

I'm sure Shakib Bhai will return to cricket even better than before. His cricketing skills and aptitude will make his return a seamless process I feel.  

Najmul Hossain Shanto

It's a great thing to have Shakib Bhai back in cricket and back playing for us. It's great news for Bangladesh cricket. One of my favourite cricketers are returning and this has me very excited. I hope he makes a strong return.

I believe we will see the same Shakib Bhai. The way he has played and performed in international cricket for all these years, I hope that he will be able to return and continue playing in the same vein. Him being in the team means our team becomes stronger, whatever the format may be. When your best cricketer returns, your team gets stronger. At the same time, it's a great opportunity for us younger cricketers to learn from someone as experienced and accomplished as him.

We have felt Shakib Bhai's absence in the matches we played for Bangladesh when he was not there last year. His return is like getting two players in one and we also missed him in the BCB President's Cup. Now that he's coming back, the wait is to play cricket together again.