Bangladesh have named a 15-man squad for the first Test against West Indies, starting October 28 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka. Taskin Ahmed returns to the pace attack in place of Khaled Ahmed, while Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz are back after injury and illness. Here is the breakdown of the squad.
Bangladesh Test Squad Composition
The squad is led by Najmul Hossain Shanto and balances four pace options with three specialist spinners. The remaining places go to batters and the wicketkeeper-batter.
Bangladesh last played a Test in the one-off match against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi, which ended in a draw. Taskin was rested for that game.
| Department | Players | Count |
|---|
| Pace bowlers | Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Ebadot Hossain, Hasan Mahmud | 4 |
| Spin bowlers | Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan | 3 |
| Batters and wicketkeeper | Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Litton Das (wk), Mominul Haque, Tanzid Hasan, Towhid Hridoy, Shadman Islam, Mushfiqur Rahim, Jaker Ali | 8 |
| Total | Full squad | 15 |
Pace Attack Changes
Taskin Ahmed replaces Khaled Ahmed in the group. Shoriful Islam, Ebadot Hossain and Hasan Mahmud retain their places.
Nahid Rana remains unavailable while recovering from a side strain. His absence leaves the attack without one of its younger pace options.
Returning Players and Omissions
Two players return from fitness concerns. Their availability adds experience to both the batting order and the spin department.
| Player | Reason for absence | Status |
|---|
| Litton Das | Hip injury, missed the UAE ODI tri-series | Included |
| Mehidy Hasan Miraz | Viral fever, missed the first tri-series match | Included |
| Taskin Ahmed | Rested for the Afghanistan Test | Included |
| Nahid Rana | Side strain | Unavailable |
Soumya Sarkar Left Out
Soumya Sarkar misses out after not featuring in the playing XI against Afghanistan. He has not played a Test since February 2021, which was his 16th appearance in the format.
He had been named in the squads for the Tests in Australia in August and against Afghanistan, but did not return to the XI.
Batting Depth
Towhid Hridoy was part of the Afghanistan squad but did not play. He recently scored a first-class triple hundred in South Africa, which strengthens his case for a place in the middle order.
Jaker Ali also keeps his place. His last Test appearance came in June 2025.
Series Context and Dhaka Conditions
The two-match series begins in Dhaka on October 28. The second Test is scheduled for Sylhet from November 5.
Bangladesh most recently hosted a Test at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in May, against Pakistan. The pitch was sporting and the match went into the fifth day.
| Metric | Last Dhaka Test (vs Pakistan, May) |
|---|
| Result | Bangladesh won by 104 runs |
| Match duration | Five days |
| Five-wicket hauls | Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Nahid Rana |
| Pitch type | Sporting, helped pace and spin |
What the Selection Suggests
The squad has four pace bowlers and three spinners. This suggests Bangladesh are keeping both options open until the surface is assessed.
The May Test showed that Dhaka can reward pace and spin across five days. Pitch preparation for this match will therefore be closely watched.
Key Takeaways
Taskin's recall restores a senior pace option, and Litton's return strengthens the batting and wicketkeeping.
Mehidy's fitness matters because he took a five-wicket haul in the last Dhaka Test. The combination of experience and a surface that offers help to both bowling types will shape selection for the XI.