Mahmudullah set for Test snub; asked to rethink his future in longest format

Mahmudullah made his Test debut in 2009.

Riyad's Test career seems in danger | Getty Images

Veteran Bangladesh all-rounder Mahmudullah Riyad has been asked to rethink his future in Tests by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) following his string of poor performances in the longer version and even he is unlikely to be picked for the one-off Test against Zimbabwe in Dhaka.

As Mushfiqur Rahim is set to return to Bangladesh’s Test line-up after skipping the first Test against Pakistan, Mahmudullah is most likely to face the omission to make way for the wicket-keeper batsman for the one-off Zimbabwe Test starting February 22 in Dhaka given his poor form in the format.

The experienced right-hander, who has played 49 Tests and went on to score 2764 runs at an average of 31.77 for Bangladesh so far, was also reportedly asked to focus on the limited-over formats just after the Pakistan Test where he managed just 25, 0 in Rawalpindi.

Read Also: Bangladesh turns down Pakistan's proposal for day-night Test in Karachi

It is also being said that Bangladesh head coach Russell Domingo has already informed the 34-year-old that he isn't part of their Test plans for the immediate future.

A member of the national selection panel told Cricbuzz, “We have asked our head coach to talk to him regarding his future in the longer-version cricket and he had spoken with him in this regard asking him to re-think about it and concentrate on the shorter format.”

His latest poor show in Pakistan has forced the national selectors for the move as Mahmudullah has scored only one half-century – 67 runs against New Zealand at Wellington in March 2019 in his last 10 Test innings for Bangladesh. He averages only 15.57 in Test cricket since September 2019.

(With Cricbuzz Inputs)

 
 

By Rashmi Nanda - 13 Feb, 2020

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