Shanto heads to UAE as Bangladesh captain clears fitness hurdle

Najmul Hossain Shanto will leave Dhaka for the United Arab Emirates on Monday evening to join Bangladesh's Test squad, ending the uncertainty surrounding his availability for the one-off Test against Afghanistan.

Bangladesh Cricket Board cricket operations manager Shahriar Nafees confirmed that the Test captain will travel to the UAE after recovering from the illness that forced him to return from the Asian Games in Japan.

Shanto had initially been scheduled to travel with the Test squad on October 1 but remained in Bangladesh after suffering from fever during the Asian Games. He was withdrawn from the Games as a precaution and returned home for medical assessment.

His condition improved steadily and he resumed batting practice at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium academy ground on Sunday. The training session provided a further indication that the left-hander was recovering well before the decision was taken to send him to the UAE.

Shanto will miss Bangladesh's two-day practice match against the United Arab Emirates in Dubai, which concludes on Monday. His immediate focus will instead be on joining the squad and preparing for the five-day Test in Abu Dhabi.

Bangladesh face Afghanistan from October 9 to 13 at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium. The Test will be the team's first red-ball assignment in the UAE and comes after a lengthy gap between international fixtures.

Shanto's return also restores the leadership structure for the Test squad. The 15-member team had been preparing without its captain while waiting for confirmation that he had recovered sufficiently for the demands of a five-day match.

After the Test, Bangladesh will remain in the UAE for an ODI tri-series involving Afghanistan and Zimbabwe. The series begins on October 17, giving Shanto the prospect of leading the side in both phases of the tour.

His arrival in the UAE leaves Bangladesh with two full days before the Test begins, allowing the captain to train with the squad and familiarise himself with the conditions before the Afghanistan challenge.