Ace Bangladesh all-rounder –Shakib Al Hasan has started fitness training on Thursday and the signs are positive as he might lead the side in the Nidahas Trophy to be held in Sri Lanka next month.

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) physician –Debashish Chowdhury is confident that the all-rounder will be fully fit within this month and will be available for the upcoming Tri-nation series, featuring India as well, while the 2018 Nidahas Trophy is slated to start from 6 March in Colombo.

As per The Daily Star, Chowdhury said, “We don't think there is any uncertainty about his return for the Sri Lanka tour. I hope he will be fully fit within this month. He started fitness training today and he will not have a problem with bowling practice, but it may take two or three days for him to start batting.”

BCB physician further added, “He already overcame the danger period, so if he wants to play the ongoing Dhaka Premier League there is no bar from our side.”

Shakib had injured his left little finger during the ODI tri-series final in Mirpur on January 27 and due to which he had to miss both Test and T20I series against Sri Lanka at home.

Shakib's possible return will definitely give huge confidence to the Bangladesh side, which recently lost the both Test and T20I against Sri Lanka at home, ahead of the Nidahas Trophy.

Meanwhile, the BCB was yet to decide about who will take the role of head coach for the Sri Lanka trip as Khaled Mahmud already told the media that he was not interested to continue as a technical director. According to sources, the board is also thinking about temporarily giving the responsibility to one of the existing foreign coaching staff as they are still searching for a suitable head coach after the departure of Chandika Hathurusingha last November.

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh selectors have called up fourteen pace bowlers and five batsmen to take part in a nine-day special practice camp under Bangladesh bowling coach Courtney Walsh at the BCB National Cricket Academy starting today. 

However, there will be a short training camp with the final squad, most likely a three-day camp, before the team leaves for Sri Lanka on March 4. 

Meanwhile, the players  who selection has been confirmed for the series are as follows:  

Taskin Ahmed, Rubel Hossain, Imrul Kayes, Abu Jayed, Ebadat Hossain, Soumya Sarkar, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Ariful Haque, Abul Hasan, Mohammad Robiul, Zakir Hasan, Abu Hider, Khaled Ahmed, Sabbir Ahmed, Mohammad Saifuddin, Qazi Onik, Kamrul Islam Rabbi and Hossain Ali