Fit Mehidy gives Bangladesh selection 'headache' for Sri Lanka Test
The 26-year-old, who missed the first Test due to illness, is ranked number two among Test all-rounders.
Off-spinner Nayeem Hasan, who replaced him in the first Test in Galle that ended in a draw on Saturday, finished with a six-wicket match haul.
Head coach Phil Simmons admitted the team now faces a "good headache" in balancing the playing 11.
"Miraz is world-class, no doubt he strengthens us in both departments," Simmons told reporters on the eve of the game at in Sri Lanka's capital Colombo.
"Nayeem was outstanding in Galle. It's tough to leave someone out after a performance like that. But everyone understands the team requirements. We'll take a final call after training today."
One possible workaround being floated is sacrificing a specialist batter — potentially Jaker Ali — to accommodate both spinners.
But Simmons was tight-lipped, saying the final squad would only be confirmed on match day.
Hosts Sri Lanka are grappling with a selection choice of their own, following the retirement of stalwart Angelo Mathews, who called time on his Test career after the Galle game.
Three uncapped players — Pavan Rathnayake, Pasindu Sooriyabandara and Sonal Dinusha —have been added to the squad.
Selectors are likely to hand Dinusha his maiden cap.
"Sonal's a promising left-hander who also offers us left-arm spin. Given the conditions, he fits the bill," said skipper Dhananjaya de Silva.
Sri Lanka will also be forced to make at least one more change with seam-bowling all-rounder Milan Rathnayake out due to a side strain.
The toss-up is between an extra pacer — most likely Kasun Rajitha, back from a stint of County Cricket with Essex — or a second frontline spinner in Akila Dananjaya, who last played a Test almost six years ago.
The Singhalese Sports Club in Colombo is usually a seamer-friendly venue, but the pitch this time is expected to assist spinners as the game wears on.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Khaleej Times
a day ago
- Khaleej Times
India on the back foot after Pant injury blow in fourth Test
Rishabh Pant's retirement through injury slowed India's progress on day one of the fourth Test against England, with the tourists closing on 264-4 in their first innings as they look to keep the thrilling five-match series alive. With England eyeing victory at Old Trafford that would seal a series win with one match to spare, the hosts put India in to bat in overcast Manchester conditions, but the tourists cruised through to lunch untroubled on 78-0. Three wickets in the afternoon session costing just 36 runs, including India skipper Shubman Gill, swung momentum back in England's favour before tea. England spinner Liam Dawson picked up his first Test wicket in eight years when he had opener Yashasvi Jaiswal caught for 58. As he often does, the entertaining Pant upped the ante after tea by playing a number of flamboyant shots. However, all that came to an abrupt end when he retired hurt on 37, having taken a blow on the foot trying to reverse sweep Chris Woakes. Sai Sudharsan's maiden test fifty, a patient knock which took 134 balls to achieve, had already taken India past 200 before he got a hook shot all wrong to fall for 61. England could not make any further inroads to leave the Test finely poised going into day two. Earlier, Yashasvi Jaiswal passed his 12th fifty, the most half centuries by any batter since his debut in July 2023. However, he did not last much longer as England spinner Liam Dawson took a Test wicket for the first time in eight years, Jaiswal edging through to Zak Crawley at second slip when on 58. The big wicket just before tea further swung the momentum back in England's favour as Gill, with three centuries already this series, was trapped leg before wicket by Stokes having scored just 12. The India skipper has registered only 34 runs in his last three innings. The Old Trafford crowd took great delight in Gill's departure, given his complaints over England's conduct in the last Test at Lord's.
Khaleej Times
2 days ago
- Khaleej Times
India face Bumrah dilemma as England search for top order stability
India must make a crucial call on the fitness of star pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah for the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford. England can clinch the series with a victory in Manchester but they have top order questions to resolve, while Ben Stokes and Ravindra Jadeja will be looking to repeat their third Test exploits. Trailing 2-1 in the five-match series after their painful 22-run loss at Lord's, India cannot afford another defeat if they are to win a Test series in England for the first time since 2007. That perilous position has increased the pressure to make the right decision on the fitness of Bumrah. India coach Gautam Gambhir made it clear at the start of the series that Bumrah would only be available for three matches due to a nagging back injury. Bumrah, 31, played in the first and third Tests against England, with India losing both matches, and missed the second game, which the tourists won. If India opt to use the world's top ranked Test bowler in Manchester, it would likely rule him out of a potential series decider in the fifth Test. "We know we have got him for one of the last two Tests. It's pretty obvious that the series is on the line now in Manchester so there will be a leaning towards playing him," Gambhir's assistant Ryan ten Doeschate said. The need to play Bumrah at Old Trafford has been heightened by injuries to India all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy and seamer Arshdeep Singh. England's brittle top order England may be within touching distance of winning the series, but questions about their fragile top order remain unsolved. Polarising opener Zak Crawley could only muster scores of 18 and 22 at Lord's. Ollie Pope, filling the number three spot, reached 44 in the first innings but perished for just four in the second, while Crawley's opening partner Ben Duckett was dismissed for 23 and 12. England must decide whether to keep faith with Crawley, whose international career has been filled with highs and lows. Scores of 267 against Pakistan and 189 against Australia showcased Crawley's ability, but the 27-year-old's frustrating habit of surrendering his wicket cheaply has led to calls for a change at the top of the line-up. However, England have backed Crawley and Duckett to the hilt, and captain Stokes said: "They complement each other. Left-hand, right-hand. "One is a giant, one is not. It is very hard for bowlers to settle in." Jadeja v Stokes After England's Stokes rose to the occasion at Lord's and Jadeja nearly delivered a match-winning innings for India, the all-rounders will carry hefty expectations in Manchester. Stokes led by example in England's third Test triumph, scoring 77 runs in two innings, taking five wickets and producing a vital run-out of Rishabh Pant. Significantly, Stokes was able to push his body through 44 overs, including spells of 9.2 and 10 overs on the dramatic final day. Now 34, that was the most he has bowled in over six years after being plagued by injuries. "It was an incredible effort to be able to do that, but that's just how he's built, I guess. He's just desperate to be the man and make things happen," England batsman Joe Root said. Age was no barrier for the 36-year-old Jadeja either as he kept India in the Lord's Test until the last moments. Now an elder statesman of the team after the Test retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, Jadeja's gritty 61 not out from 181 balls took the tourists within a whisker of their 193-run target. He also scored 72 in the first innings and made 89 and 69 in the second Test at Edgbaston. "I always felt he has the ability to take pressure. With so much of experience, he normally comes with something that the team needs in any challenging conditions. Really, really valuable to the team," India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak said.
Khaleej Times
2 days ago
- Khaleej Times
India's golf revolution tees off with power, parity, and pure entertainment
"Let's make it all for one and all for love." The words of Canadian rock star Bryan Adams' chart-topping song now echoes through a new arena - not an amphitheatre, a cricket stadium or football pitch, but the expansive greens of India's newest obsession: golf. Yes, golf - but not as you know it. This September, India is stepping into a fearless new direction. It's launching a movement, one that reimagines the centuries-old game into an explosive, inclusive, and futuristic sporting experience. Welcome to the Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL) - where sport meets spectacle, and golf enters a bold new era. Once seen as the quiet gentleman's game, golf is undergoing a paradigm shift, and it's being led by a bold Indian experiment that has the potential to revolutionise the game. "Golf has always been globally respected, but remains underappreciated in India. A dynamic format can attract broader audiences and athletes,' said cricket legend Yuvraj Singh, who has joined IGPL as both co-owner and brand ambassador. 'Joining the IGPL team is an exciting opportunity to rejuvenate this remarkable sport,' he added. Golf for All, All for Golf The IGPL's war cry is clear - "Golf for All, All for Golf." This isn't a league for the privileged few. This is a national campaign to make golf India's next big sport, with three powerful pillars: 1. The IGPL Tour World's first fully mixed-gender pro golf tour boasting equal prize money for men and women. No cuts, only pure competitive golf over 11 high-stakes tournaments in its first year, growing to 15 in the future. This Tour isn't just about winning, it's about creating heroes, rivalries, and a new generation of champions. It's a platform where young prodigies, some even before their teens, get scholarships and a shot at greatness. 2. Turf Wars – Clash of the Cities A franchise-based showdown where city pride is on the line, Turf Wars features top-tier male and female golfers competing in fast-paced matchups made for the digital generation. Backed by the Indian Golf Union (IGU) and the Women's Golf Association of India (WGAI), the league includes teams from Delhi, Chandigarh, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai. With drama, rivalries, flash golf, packed crowds, and a high-stakes grand finale, this is where golf gets personal. 3. The Showdown - X-Treme golf One course. One chance. One winner. A high-octane stadium finale in a lightning-fast X-Golf format featuring lights, team walkouts, music, cameras and madness - is all built for digital. Golf is evolving, stepping fearlessly into the spotlight with a fresh, fast-paced format designed for today's audiences. "Golf is no longer hidden. It's loud, proud, and finally, fun," says the IGPL manifesto. It will include a celebrity wildcard format, imagine golf supercharged, with the buzz of a rock concert and the intensity of prime-time sport. "This is turbo-charged sportainment. And it's what moves the needle," said IGPL Director Manav Jaini. The IGPL hopes to ignite passion and rally fans and players nationwide ahead of the big launch by kicking off a thrilling 10-city tour from September to December 2025. Crafting Golf's New Blueprint What truly sets IGPL apart is its vision to build not just a league, but an enduring ecosystem. This is a proudly Made-in-India initiative, not imported, not adapted, but designed from the ground up to serve Indian athletes and audiences. IGPL isn't just staging tournaments; it is actively investing in golf infrastructure, developing a comprehensive tech platform, curating merchandise, and managing talent at every level. It's a blueprint for how sport can be both spectacular and sustainable. As cities pick their icons like Shiv Kapur, Gaganjeet Bhullar, SSP Chawrasia, Gaurav Ghei, Jyothi Randhawa and Jeev Milkha Singh, the IGPL is shaping up to be India's most disruptive sporting innovation in years. "The IGPL is not only India's league but also a gift to global golf,' declared IGPL CEO Uttam Singh Mundy. The Final Putt Golf is no longer just about birdies and bogeys. It's about tenacity, gender equality and energy. It's also about India, and it's about reclaiming golf for everyone. The Indian Golf Revolution has begun.
