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While Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman had clearly maintained that he is not yet ready to play Test cricket and that picking shortest formats was necessary for him to prolong his international career, his country's cricket administration boss Nazmul Hasan has not taken his personal stance into consideration.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board President has said that Mustafizur will have to play the longest format of the game if he is needed by the national team. He made this statement on Saturday after the left-arm pacer had hinted at retiring from Test cricket.
"Firstly let me explain, we have sent the players a format (contract paper) to tell us who wants to play which format. Those who have said they want to play three formats or say Test or say two formats, we have included them (in the national contract accordingly). Mustafizur did not write his name for Test and he did not say that he wants to play Test,'' Nazmul told reporters as quoted by Cricbuzz.
"Whether he says (yes) or not is not important because if we need him he will have to play (Tests). Certainly we can call him for Sri Lanka series if he is required. Look there is Taskin, Shoriful and Ebadat and these three cricketers are there for Tests and when they are there if I keep Mustafizur there ultimately we don't know whether the management or coaching staff will play him. But when he is required (for Test) definitely he will have to play. There is no issue with it,'' he added.
Ever since he made his Test debut in 2015, the Delhi Capitals star has featured in just 14 of 39 Test matches that the Bangla Tigers have played in this duration. He wasn't even included in the Test contract as per his own wish.
"I will clear my position to the Bangladesh Cricket Board if they want to know about it. The president already knows about my stance and he has never forced me to play Test cricket," the 26-year-old had said while speaking to Bengali daily Ajker Patrika.