A new start waiting for Shakib
Image : Collected
|| CF Correspondent ||
Bangladesh premier all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan seeks to make a fresh start from a place, from where he launched his initial institutionalised journey in cricket to be today’s Shakib.
It’s obviously possible to write new books from the memories of his days at the Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protisthan (BKSP), where he spent a long time of his early life prior to his professional cricket career.
Shakib himself disclosed those things to the media on many occasions. And this time he is going to get some foodstuff from it within the next few days.
On October 28, 2019, International Cricket Council (ICC) banned Shakib for two years including a suspended year not to inform its entity (Anti-Corruption Unit-ACU) having got several match-fixing proposals from the bookmaker.
He will be freed from his year-long ban on October 29, 2020. Before that, Shakib will return home from the United States of America (USA) within the next seven days because he is scheduled to start his preparation at the BKSP to stage his comeback to the cricket field after a long hiatus.
BKSP is a place where he spent his entire student life. He started his cricket career in BKSP whose environment jogged his memories this time around from where he will get a great source of entertaining elements to write a book.
Even though he initially informed that he wants to take preparation for staging his much-awaited comeback to cricket in London, he later get back from his initial plan and desires to do it at the BKSP. He might be accommodated in a VIP room of the international hostel at BKSP in Savar.
There is a question how he will do his comeback preparation in BKSP. Later his responsibility was given to two of his old coaches- Nazmul Abedeen Fahim and Mohammad Salahuddin. The first of the coach became cricket advisor at BKSP scraping his BCB job. And Salahuddin, a successful coach in domestic cricket, once was in charge of the Bangladesh team as assistant coach. Before that, they were coaches in BKSP and very well known to Shakib.
Despite coming in international cricket, Shakib used to approach them whenever he fell into a muzzy situation or during the period of his off form. This time no exceptional thing happened. So far the plan he has wants to finish his comeback preparation at BKSP.
He will be accommodated at a VIP room of the BKSP international hostel, where the newly-built Bangladesh Under-19 preliminary squad accommodated but there will be no connection between them.
Though Bangladesh will play their first Test in Kandy on October 24, Shakib might be staged his international comeback with the second Test.
Communicating with ACU, the BCB confirmed that Shakib can take the help of the BCB facilities or even help of the coaches in his preparation phase if he wishes. Regarding the matter, BCB CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury said the board can help him if Shakib wants from them.
“As per the directive of the ICC, Shakib can be taken to the facilities of the board and assistance from the coaches. If he wants, the board will help him,” Nizamuddin said.
“But in case of working with BCB or the national team, there is a condition for which he has to do his practice single-handedly. No cricketer will be allowed to work with him or he will not be allowed to have his practice with any cricketer,” Chowdhury said.
No BCB facility needed for Shakib at BKSP because all the facilities will be provided to him from there as an old and distinguished student of the institution.
They will take the help of the other coaches and trainers of BKSP if needed, Nazmul Abedeen said, adding that the practice plan has been furnished for Shakib as usual.
“When he (Shakib) will get down in the field, he could play his games like the past. The planning has been set in such a way. But we’re not worried about his cricketing senses. It might be a challenge for both of them to bring his fitness back in the right shape to get down in the cricket field. Work will be done over it,” Nazmul said over phone.
Shakib can return to international cricket with the second Test in Sri Lanka though the series of the three-match Test series will begin on October 24. BCB president Nazmul Hassan Papon gave such an indication in his first post-corona briefing at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on August 15.
In that case, Shakib will travel to Sri Lanka in the mid-October. Before that, he will practice in BKSP.
But if he does not tour Sri Lanka, his practice will be prolonged in BKSP. The preparation will continue under the supervision of Nazmul and Salahuddin. He will also be under the radar of the national team coach, physiotherapist and trainer.
National team physiotherapist Julian Calefato meanwhile came back to Dhaka after passing the corona-enforced long break on August 20. The head coach Russell Domingo and other foreign coaches are supported to return to Dhaka in the first week of September. They will be seen in Shakib’s practice session in fits and starts.
