IND vs BAN : There was suspense over Bangladeshi all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan's Test career and his workload management. Meanwhile, Bangladesh's chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hussain has made it clear that Shakib has confirmed his availability for all the remaining Test matches this year. Bangladesh is going to play a two-Test series against Pakistan.

After the conclusion of the Pakistan tour, Bangladesh is scheduled to play two Test matches each against India, South Africa, and West Indies respectively. Earlier, Shakib was not scheduled to play against India and was only available for the Pakistan tour. Now the veteran all-rounder has confirmed his availability for all the remaining Test matches of the year. Bangladesh are scheduled to play eight Tests in 2024.

"We spoke to Shakib at the end of July. During the Zimbabwe series, we wanted to understand his plans. We have a very tight schedule with eight Test matches till December. He has assured us that he will play all the Tests and attend all the practice sessions before each series. He is expected to join the team around August 14 or 15," Cricbuzz quoted Ashraf as saying.

Ashraf also expressed concern about the safety of the players amid political turmoil in Bangladesh. Shakib is active in politics. The situation in Bangladesh has gone out of control and in such a situation the safety of the players is a big issue. The first Test match between Pakistan and Bangladesh will be played in Rawalpindi on 21 August.