Injured pace bowler Ebadot Hossain traveled to India alongside the Bangladesh T20 squad on Tuesday ahead of their three-match series starting on October 6.
Although Ebadot is not slated to play, his trip is intended for rehabilitation under the guidance of the national team's medical staff.
Ebadot suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury during the ODI series against Afghanistan in July 2023, which required surgery and has kept him out of action since. Shahriar Nafees, in charge of cricket operations for the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), confirmed that Ebadot's inclusion in the squad is solely to continue his rehabilitation.
"Ebadot is going with the team as he will continue his rehabilitation program in India," Shahriar said. "The Tigers Program is currently closed as everyone has been released to join their respective first-class teams. The national team physio Bayzid Bhai and trainer Nathan Kelly will continue to assess him."
The national team management, including the bowling coach, wants to monitor Ebadot closely during the rehabilitation process. "He is not going to play; he is there to further continue his rehabilitation program as per the request of the national team because the bowling coach and others want to see him from close quarters," Shahriar added.
Bangladesh will face India in three T20Is scheduled to take place in Gwalior (October 6), Delhi (October 9), and Hyderabad (October 12).
Despite missing key players, including Shakib Al Hasan, who recently announced his retirement, the Bangladesh camp remains optimistic about their chances. Shoriful Islam, one of Bangladesh's pace bowlers, expressed confidence before leaving Dhaka: "We have been practicing for a long time, and if we can play to our potential, we can produce a good result."
Fellow pace bowler Tanzim Shakib also emphasized the importance of teamwork to compensate for the absence of Shakib Al Hasan: "We need to play as a unit to fill his gap."
