Bangladesh coach Hathurusingha feels Shahriar, Raqibul, Shuvo can give selection headache

Head Coach Chandika Hathurusingha believes Shahriar Nafees, Raqibul Hasan and Suhrawadi Shuvo still 'have roles to play in Bangladesh cricket'.

Not having played in national colours for some time now, veteran top-order batsmen Shahriar and Raqibul and southpaw Shuvo are plugging away in the ongoing conditioning camp.

The words of the Tigers' Sri Lankan mentor will surely lift their morale.

"...what they have done is that they have really done well in domestic cricket and have put pressure on the guys in the team and in that sense, they have done a good service to Bangladesh cricket," Hathurusingha said on Tuesday.

But the coach warned that it would be an uphill task for them to break into in the national team now.

"They have put their hands up and have an equal chance. We had a good run in the last one and half years, so it’s difficult for anyone to find places but the competition is healthy."

Empty schedule

Hathurusingha, however, lamented his team's empty international schedule in a time when eight of the ten Test teams are busy with tours between themselves.

The Tigers, who have played no matches since the World Twenty20 in March, have to wait over another month and a half before England arrive at the end of September.

The conditioning camp, aimed to help the players maintain their fitness and review basic batting, bowling and fielding, began in Jul 20 with the England series in sight. 

"The situation is not ideal but we can't do anything about it, that's what I told the boys as well. What we can do is try to be prepared with our ability and [utilise] the time that we have in our hands as an advantage and not as a disadvantage," said the 46-year-old former Sri Lankan opener.

"But having said that, keeping focus on cricket is very hard for them. It's not ideal but that's the situation we are in."

Skills training for batting, bowling and fielding will begin from Aug 20, he said.

"... but it's not like playing matches. Ideally the players like to play games and keep their confidence going," Hathurusingha added.

"When you start a new series, it’s a little bit tense at the start unless you get into the series, that’s the disadvantage that we might have because we are playing after a long time but we can't control this now."