Bangladesh still a strong side sans Shakib: Markram

Stand-in South Africa skipper Aiden Markram acknowledged the relief of not having to face Shakib Al Hasan in their upcoming Test series against Bangladesh but emphasized that Bangladesh remains a formidable team, especially in their home conditions. 

"Shakib is a world-class player, and he�s proved it over many years. So it�s a bit of relief that we don�t have to come across him," Markram said. However, he quickly added, "But we haven�t put too much focus on that. They still have a really strong squad, and they�re very strong in their home conditions as well."

Markram also mentioned the challenge posed by Bangladesh's spin-friendly wickets, which are vastly different from the conditions in South Africa. "The spin is a big talking point, especially being from South Africa. We don't get conditions like that at home," he said, adding that acclimatizing to Dhaka�s hot and humid environment would be another aspect to overcome.

The two-Test series between South Africa and Bangladesh will contribute points towards the ICC World Test Championship (WTC), with South Africa currently sitting sixth in the standings and Bangladesh just behind in seventh. The series also marks Bangladesh�s first international cricket fixture since the political upheaval that ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina earlier this year.