By Caroline Chepkorir
Shakib Al Hasan, the all-rounder legend, has played a great role in Bangladesh’s cricket history in the first Test against India in Chennai. He is currently the oldest player from his country to participate in the Test match.
Shakib Al Hasan, at the age of 37 and 181 days, broke the previous record set in 2008 by left arm spinner Mohammad Rafique, who was 37 years and 180 days old when he participated in a Test match. Throughout his more than ten years as a cricket player for Bangladesh, Hasan has proven his value as a top-order all-rounder in the field.
In 2010, Hasan scored his maiden test century against New Zealand in Hamilton in February 2010. Despite his team losing the match by 121 runs, Shakib played a struggling knock of 100. In Colombo 2017, in a match against Sri Lanka, he scored 116, and at the end of a match, Bangladesh won by four wickets.
Although Shakib’s achievement is significant in Bangladesh cricket, England’s Wilfred Rhodes is still the global record holder for the oldest Test cricketer. He last made an appearance in a test at 52 years and 165 days old in the 1930, which marked one of cricket’s most important records.
In his 70th Test match, Shakib amassed 4575 runs at an average of 38.44. His best score was 217, and he averaged 31.85 while taking 242 wickets.
In the ongoing test series, India has set a target of 515 runs, and Bangladesh only scored 14/10 in their first outing after India posted 137/10 batting first.
On day three of the first Test, Shakib admits playing the ongoing Chennai Test with a swollen finger on his bowling hand, and he also suspects a shoulder injury.
“Having seen him and known him for such a long period of time, I did go up to him and ask the reason why he has not bowled enough, and the thing that he said to me is something I completely resonate with. He’s had finger surgery on his bowling finger, which is the point of his finger of his left hand. It is swollen, it is rigid, there’s no movement, no suppleness to it. So, he feels he is not getting any feeling out of it,” said Karthik in media reports.
