Shakib Bhai and Mustafiz don't have 10-12 hands, we won't feel their absence: Mominul

Bangladesh Test captain Mominul Haque believes that the team can get a positive in Sri Lanka even without Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman.

Shakib, the country's ace all-rounder and fast bowler Mustafiz are both playing in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) and as a result, are not part of the Test squad that will travel to Sri Lanka later this month.

Mominul spoke to the media on Sunday and was philosophical as he expressed that every cricketer has two working hands, so everyone is built equally.

"I don't feel that we can't get a result without Shakib Bhai and Mustafiz. We have other players. Shakib and Mustafiz don't have 10-12 hands. Neither do the other players. I don't think this has any impact. We are probably not playing as a unit and that is why we are not getting positive results. Nothing more," Mominul said.

The diminutive left-hander had been made Test captain in October 2019, but since then, won only one out of six Tests in which he led the team. 

The solitary win came against Zimbabwe at home, but against stiffer opposition such as India and Pakistan away, Mominul's side has not been able to compete. 

But perhaps the worst was the recent 2-0 home series defeat against a depleted West Indies side. 

Although ODI captain Tamim Iqbal believes that Mominul is the best person to lead the Test team, the results and what Mominul has said, doesn't go in his favour. 

It's impossible to replace the best player Bangladesh has ever produced in Shakib Al Hasan and one of the most successful fast bowlers in the country's history in Mustafiz. 

While Mustafiz hasn't been impressive in Tests lately, Shakib's 3,930 Test runs and 210 Test wickets won't be replaceable with one player. 

Bangladesh have not had a good time in white-ball cricket either, with them losing all of their matches in the recently concluded series against New Zealand in New Zealand.

They lost the three ODIs and three T20Is they played there and didn't put up a fight in most of the matches as their record against New Zealand in New Zealand worsened to 32 defeats and zero wins. 

Ahead of the matches ODI series in New Zealand ODI captain Tamim Iqbal said that the preparation was good, but Mominul doesn't feel the preparation ahead of the Sri Lanka Tests has been great for everyone.

"I will not say that the preparation has been great. The players that participated in the four-day practice match are better prepared than those that didn't participate in the match. I played the four-day match. During the pandemic, you are not going to get too many opportunities to prepare as you wish. The players that came back home from New Zealand after playing white-ball cricket are not as well prepared as those that play only Tests and prepared only with the red ball," he concluded.