KANPUR: The second test against India this week could be Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan’s last in this format if he is denied a home farewell next month, the under-pressure player said in an abrupt announcement on Thursday.

Shakib was a member of parliament for the Awami League led by Sheikh Hasina, whose 15-year rule as prime minister ended in August with her fleeing to India following deadly protests.

He is considered the greatest cricketer Bangladesh has produced but his political past places the former captain in a tricky position as an interim government supervises a power transition.

Shakib has not been home since protests erupted in July but the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has assured him he will not be harassed on his return.

“I am available for the South Africa series but since there’s a lot happening back home, naturally not everything depends on me,” Shakib said.

“I have discussed my plans about test cricket with the BCB…” he said while also announcing his retirement from T20 Internationals with immediate effect.

“If there’s a chance and if I can play, the test in Mirpur will be my last. The board is trying to make it safe for me to go and play…”

“This is my desire … but this could be my last test match.” he said referring to the second test against India in Kanpur beginning on Friday.

Shakib anticipated no problem going home but was sceptical if he would be allowed to leave Bangladesh once he returned.

“My close friends and family members are concerned. I hope things are getting better. There should be a solution to it.”

He denied the situation back home forced him into retiring from those two formats.

“I think this is the right time to move on and give scope to newcomers,” Shakib said.

“I discussed my plans with the board, selectors, captain and coach – and they all agree this is the right thing to do.”

Shakib made his international debut in a 2006 one-day internationals against Zimbabwe.

He has played 70 tests, 247 one-dayers and 129 T20 Internationals, amassing 14,721 runs and claiming 708 wickets to establish himself as one of the leading all-rounders of his era.

FAISALABAD: Pakistan cricket team’s red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie on Wednesday stressed that it was important to give confidence and show faith in the cricketers.

Speaking during the commentary of Champions Cup match between Lions and Stallions, Gillespie said, “We picked a squad which is not too dissimilar to what we had against Bangladesh. I’m really keen to show our faith and belief in our players.”

The head coach also discussed a range of topics, from player development to fitness challenges and the lessons he has learned so far.

“We don’t want to have knee-jerk reactions after every bad game or a result that hasn’t gone our way. We want to show the faith and belief in these players because they’re very good players, and we showed glimpses of good cricket in both the first and second Test against Bangladesh in Pindi,” Gillespie said.

However, the head coach recognised the need for greater consistency. “We just need to do it a little bit more consistently,” he added, stressing that maintaining trust in the players could help them achieve the desired results.

‘Fitness is controllable’

Gillespie — who also toured to Australia with the Pakistan Shaheens — shared his experience of getting acquainted with the players and support staff.

“The team’s been great,” he said. “I was fortunate enough to be in Darwin with the Pakistan Shaheens, which was a great experience to get to know some of the guys playing underneath the test side. Obviously, the test series didn’t go the way we would have liked against Bangladesh, but to start getting to know the players, the support staff, and everyone within Pakistan cricket has been fantastic.”

Gillespie, himself a renowned fast bowler, also acknowledged the importance of fitness in Test cricket.

“Fitness has been well-documented in the press. That’s certainly something, as far as I’m concerned, and having spoken to Gary Kirsten, is controllable. It’s something that we can control. We can continue to develop and work on that because, as we know, Test cricket is a challenge,” Gillespie remarked.

One player who has caught the eye of the cricketing community is Kamran Ghulam, who has been in outstanding form in the Champions Cup, scoring two centuries.

While acknowledging Ghulam’s form, Gillespie remained focused on rewarding the current squad. “Kamran has been communicated that his form has been acknowledged. He’s had, in particular, recent excellent performances. There are guys in the test squad who have been excellent over time, and we want to reward that,” he explained.

The coach reiterated the importance of patience, noting, “We firmly believe if we show faith and belief in our players, it gives them the best chance to go out and play with the freedom that we want them to play.”

One of the more pressing challenges for Gillespie and the Pakistan management has been managing the workload of players who compete in all three formats, especially fast bowlers like Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi.

Gillespie underscored the importance of a “squad mentality” rather than over-relying on a few players. “There’s a lot of cricket in all formats that we need to just be really aware of and make sure we’re managing our players as best we can,” he said.

He also touched upon a personal learning experience regarding Afridi’s availability during the Bangladesh series, sharing, “I learned a pretty good lesson as a coach in the first Test match when Shaheen’s wife was due to give birth. My initial thought was for him not to play and to spend time with his family. However, Shaheen, to his credit, was so keen to play. In hindsight, I should have made that call to allow him to have that important family time. It’s a lesson I’ve learned as a coach.”

Younger players to be given a chance

When asked if he would consider trying youngsters in Test matches to come as Pakistan’s chances to qualify for WTC final are over, Gillespie reiterated his focus of winning every game, but he also acknowledged the possibility of giving younger players a chance.

“We want to show our faith and backing to the incumbents, but if there are prolonged performances that need improvement, we will look at things. I’ve got a lot of faith in these players. This tournament has shown just how much talent there is in Pakistan cricket,” he said.

Gillespie also hinted at potential opportunities for youngsters later in the year. “We may look at exploring opportunities to be brave in selection and expose some youngsters to the Test team environment,” he added.

The head coach also touched upon future talent, having observed players in both the Shaheens and domestic tournaments. “We certainly want to increase our depth in all facets of the game, whether it be batting, fast bowling, spin bowling, or wicket-keeping,” Gillespie stated.

The wicket-keeper position, in particular, is one he has his eyes on, with the experienced Mohammad Rizwan and former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed leading the pack. “Sarfraz has been a wonderful servant, but we know Safi’s not getting any younger. At some point, we’re going to need to start exploring and offering opportunities to other players,” he said.

As Gillespie continues to familiarise himself with the setup, the message is clear — building a squad that can compete at the highest level, managing workload efficiently, and nurturing talent are his top priorities. “We don’t want to have to rely on one or two players in any discipline. We want to be able to create depth and squads so that we can call on any player at any time,” he concluded.

Jason Gillespie’s first few months as head coach have been a learning experience, filled with challenges but also with a sense of hope. His approach of maintaining faith in the current squad, managing workload sensibly, and creating a broader talent pool will be crucial as Pakistan navigates the tough road ahead in international cricket.

Pakistan squash player Muhammad Asim Khan secured a berth for himself in the quarterfinals of the Charlottesville Open Squash tournament by defeating second-seeded Egyptian player Yahya Elnawasany in Virginia, USA, on Thursday.

Khan achieved the victory against Elnawasany through an arduous battle of five games that lasted 60 minutes in the second-round match. 

He won with the match with scores of 11-7, 4-11, 11-6, 7-11, and 11-7, displaying a remarkable determination to outshine his Egyptian opponent and book his spot in the next round.

This victory sails Khan into the quarterfinals, where he aims to build on his strong performance.

Following the match, the player expressed his delight, stating that this win had boosted his confidence moving forward in the competition.

In another match, Pakistani player Muhammad Ashab Irfan, was eliminated in the second round by Egypt’s seventh seed, Ibrahim Elkabbani.

Ashab put up a solid fight but was eventually defeated 11-8, 11-7, 7-11, 11-7 in a match that lasted 57 minutes.

The Charlottesville Open, with a total prize fund of $28,750, continues to feature top talent from around the world.

Former Hungarian fencer Laszlo Csongradi has been left so distraught by the theft of his Olympic gold medal that he has offered to leave it to the thief in his will if the medal is returned.

Csongradi, 65, won the Olympic gold in the men’s team sabre competition at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul. His home was broken into and the medal was stolen Sept. 10 as Csongradi was sleeping.

“For two weeks, I can’t calm down and be happy, because everything reminds me of my stolen Olympic gold medal,” Csongradi told Hungary’s Sportal website.

“I would give everything to the culprit, but I want him to return the worthless object that means nothing to him. Drop it in the mailbox and if you want, I won’t leave it to a museum in my will, I’ll bequeath it to him.”

The medal was stored away in a cupboard, Csongradi said, adding that the burglar left the house only when the former fencer left his room and shouted at him.

“He could have taken other important things, but for some reason [the medal] was all he was interested in,” Csongradi said.

“The thief touched many things, many fingerprints were left behind, but there is nothing to identify them. I don’t know what to do to get the message across to him: I don’t want to hurt him. … You can negotiate with me.”

Reuters contributed to this report.