Bangladesh Star Mushfiqur Rahim To Miss Test Series vs West Indies Due To Finger Fracture

In a setback for the Bangladesh cricket team, veteran batter and wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim has been ruled out of the upcoming two-match Test series against the West Indies. The seasoned cricketer sustained a fracture on his right index finger during the ongoing ODI series against Afghanistan. The injury occurred in the first ODI match in Sharjah when Mushfiqur was keeping wickets. Bangladesh's team physio, Delowar Hossain, stated that an X-ray had confirmed a fracture near the DIP joint of his left index finger, leading to conservative management of his recovery.

This finger injury is expected to take at least four to six weeks to heal, according to a member of the Bangladesh selection panel. This timeframe means that the 37-year-old will likely miss both Tests scheduled later this month. However, selectors remain hopeful that he will be fit in time for the ODI leg of the series against the West Indies. "He [Mushfiqur] is not playing the Test series against the West Indies as it will take at least a month or more to recover," a selector told Cricbuzz. "As for the ODIs, we will evaluate his progress before making a decision."

Bangladesh will tour the Caribbean soon after their current ODI series against Afghanistan concludes. The West Indies tour includes all formats, featuring two Tests, three ODIs, and three T20Is. Bangladesh’s ODI series in the UAE will wrap up on November 11, after which the team will travel to the Caribbean. They are scheduled to play a warm-up game in Coolidge starting on November 15, with the first Test taking place in North Sound on November 22.

Currently, Bangladesh has not named a replacement for Mushfiqur in the ODI series against Afghanistan. Although there were speculations that Litton Das might step in, he remains unavailable due to illness. It is uncertain whether he will recover in time to join the squad.