KANPUR: Shakib Al Hasan is under severe scrutiny. The face of Bangladesh cricket for 15 years, Shakib is now facing tough competition from the younger lot of players. A persisting niggle in his left index finger has also been a concern for the Bangladesh camp. But coach Chandika Hathurusinghe on Wednesday dismissed all speculation around Shakib’s place in the side.
"At the moment, I haven't heard from my physio or from anyone. He is still eligible for selection," was Hathurusinghe's curt response when asked about Shakib. The coach didn't want to single Shakib out after the heavy defeat in the first Test in Chennai. "I am not upset about his performance. Our overall performance, we could have done better. I'm sure he knows that. We all know what he is capable of," he said.
Hathurusinghe praised Shakib for putting up a great fight in the second innings in Chennai, in which he scored 25 off 56 balls. In the first innings, he was the top-scorer for the visitors, adding 32 off 64 balls.
"He batted really well in the second innings. He couldn't go on, not because of lack of pride. It's the sheer quality of the opposition," the coach said, backing his star player.
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