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[Saba Sports News] After India’s dominant win in the second Test against Bangladesh at Green Park, Kanpur, star batter Virat Kohli gifted his bat to all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan.
Shakib had previously mentioned that the upcoming Test series against South Africa would be his “last dance” in red-ball cricket.
However, due to the ongoing political unrest in Bangladesh, he may not return to play in that series, suggesting that the Kanpur Test could have been his final appearance in Test cricket.
When BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla was asked after Day 4 if any special tribute was planned for Shakib on Day 5, he clarified that no official communication had been received from the Bangladesh Cricket Board.
“We were under the impression that Shakib will play his last game at home next month. Officially, nothing has been informed to us about his retirement. If we hear anything formally, we will definitely think over it,” Shukla said during the press conference.
Kohli’s gesture of gifting his bat to Shakib went viral on social media, marking a heartfelt moment between the two players. Shakib has represented Bangladesh in 71 Test matches, scoring 4,609 runs at an average of 37.77, and taking 246 wickets. He was also part of the squad that defeated Pakistan in a two-match Test series before facing India.
Shakib’s potential retirement would be a significant loss for Bangladesh, as he is widely regarded as their greatest all-rounder and a proven match-winner across formats.
However, his recent form in Test cricket has waned, as evidenced by his performances against Pakistan and India, where he scored only 66 runs and picked up four wickets in four innings.