Bangladesh announce Test squad for Australia tour

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has announced a 15-member squad for the first Test against Australia, with uncapped fast bowler Musfik Hasan earning a place in the side.

The tour marks Bangladesh's first Test series in Australia in 23 years. None 
of the players in the current squad has previously played a Test match on 
Australian soil.

A series of injuries to Bangladesh's pace attack, including the absence of 
speedster Nahid Rana, has left the selectors with limited options, paving the way for Musfik's inclusion.

Although Musfik is yet to make his Test debut, this is not his first call-up 
to the national squad. He was previously included for the one-off Test 
against Afghanistan in 2023 and the home series against Sri Lanka in 2024 but did not feature in either match.

Nahid Rana has been ruled out of the entire two-Test series due to injury. 
Left-arm pacer Shoriful Islam, however, is expected to return for the second Test, for which the squad is yet to be announced.

Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Ebadot Hossain, Syed Khaled Ahmed are the other four pacers to includ into the squad alongside Musfik. 

Bangladesh have also been dealt a blow with wicketkeeper-batter Liton Das ruled out of the opening Test. He is, however, expected to recover in time  for the second and final match of the series.

The Bangladesh team will depart for Australia on August 1 and will play a  three-day warm-up match against a Cricket Australia XI at DXC Arena in Darwin from August 6 to 8.

The first Test will be held at Marrara Cricket Ground in Darwin from August 13, while the second and final Test is scheduled to begin on August 22 at  Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay.

Squad for 1st Test: Najmul Hossain Shanto (Captain), Soumya Sarkar, Shadman Islam, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Amite Hasan, Jaker Ali Anik, Mehidy Hasan Miraz (Vice Captain), Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Syed Khaled Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain Chowdhury, Musfik Hasan.