Mushfiq, Taskin return to Tigers' 1st Test squad against India, Zakir gets maiden call-up

Mushfiqur Rahim, Yasir Ali, and Taskin Ahmed have returned to Bangladesh's squad for the first Test against India, which begins on December 14 in Chattogram, while left-handed batsman Zakir Hasan has been included for the first time. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced the squad for the first Test against India on Thursday.

While Yasir and Taskin were both injured during Bangladesh's previous Test series in the West Indies, Mushfiqur was absent from the team in order to perform Hajj.

Zakir, 24, scored 173 in the first four-day game for Bangladesh A against India A last week in Cox's Bazar, earning him a spot on the 17-man squad. Bangladesh A was nine runs behind and on the verge of an innings defeat when he batted, but he helped them salvage a tie. Zakir, a wicketkeeper-batsman who bats in the top order, scored 442 runs at an average of 56.25 in Bangladesh's first-class National Cricket League this year.

"Zakir has been on our radar for the last five years," Bangladesh's chief selector Minhajul Abedin said.

"He was in the High-Performance unit for four of those years, and this season he was the highest scorer in first-class cricket. He played a good knock against India A last week. It saved the game. Selector Abdur Razzak, with the Bangladesh A side, witnessed the game and it seems Zakir is prepared for the highest level."

Shakib Al Hasan will captain the Test team without the services of Tamim Iqbal (who was sidelined from the ODI series due to a groyne injury), Mosaddek Hossain, or Mustafizur Rahman. Although he is expected to make a full recovery, it is possible that Tamim will not be ready to play in the second Test, which begins on December 22 in Mirpur.

1st Test squad: Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mominul Haque, Yasir Ali, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan (capt), Litton Das, Nurul Hasan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Khaled Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain, Shoriful Islam, Zakir Hasan, Rejaur Rahman Raja, Anamul Haque