Rubel Hossain likely to face the heat of the selectors for poor show

Team Bangladesh had a horrible start to their tour of West Indies recently. They Asian side were looking forward to their overseas challenge with the hope of improving their numbers outside the subcontinent. Much to their disappointment, they ended up being humiliated with an innings defeat in the first Test of the tour. Now, after the horror show, the chief selectors are pondering over trimming the squad for the ODI series. And in all likelihood, it will be Rubel Hossain who could lose out on his place in the side.

Rubel Hossain had a very ordinary time in the first Test. The conditions were bowler friendly and this was evident from the fact that the Windies bowled out Bangladesh for a paltry 43. However, the Bangladeshi pacers failed to extract any assistance from the track. While all bowlers struggled from their camp, Rubel seems to be the one hurting the eyes of the selectors. The Chief Selector of the national side recently hinted at the possible exclusion of Rubel from the squad ahead of the ODI series.

“We had included him [Rubel] in the 16-member ODI squad but as Mustafizur is getting fit we are thinking of calling him back as the squad will be trimmed to 15-member. He also did not bowl well in the opening Test despite on a bowler-friendly track,” the Chief selector Minhajul Abedin told Cricbuzz.

Team management unhappy with Rubel Hossain

Meanwhile, it has also been learnt that the team management and the Bangladeshi skipper Shakib Al Hasan are not very happy with the way Rubel has been performing in the longest format of the game. Talking about the numbers, Rubel has picked up just 33 wickets in the 26 Tests that he has played thus far. He averages over 80 with the ball.

His outing in the Antigua Test saw him go wicketless. Rubel was named in the Test and ODI squad for the tour. But now, he is likely to head back to Bangladesh after the Test series. Meanwhile, Mustafizur Rahman’s fitness is being closely monitored by the selectors.

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