No doubt it is a highlighting news and obviously encouraging for Bangladesh national cricket team before to on board for South Africa that Shakib Al Hasan will accompany the team in the important three-match ODI and two-match Test series to get underway from March 18. The tour of South Africa is very much significant for Bangladesh, as they would have to earn 10 points, they need from this tour when despite grabbing the top spot of the points tables failed to chinch the whitewash Afghanistan to have the automatic entry into the 2023 World Cup.
So, Bangladesh team badly need Shakib in the squad, who is enough to turn the match result. But it becomes almost a usual practice that an uncertainty developed before any home or away tour with number one all-rounder whether he would be the part of the team. Sometimes clearing out all confusion, the most talented all-rounder, Bangladesh ever produced joined the team and sometimes he just sidesteps from the squad, as he skipped from the Test side of New Zealand tour early January 2022, it was also happened in the past when Shakib has been passed over many series since the 2017 South Africa tour. But it never happened that Shakib was overlooked or did not have call for any version of cricket because of poor performance or even fitness problem, who had the credits to be the best all-rounder of the world in all three formats of cricket for record period. However, this time also there have been huge talking and uncertainty evolved with Shakib ahead of upcoming South Africa tour and finally throwing away all doubts it was confirmed that he is going to play the upcoming Test series in South Africa. Shakib, when expressed the reason of pulling out himself from the team or announcement not to be part of the team ahead of any series, told that he choose to play apprehending the importance of the particular series.
The prolific all-rounder, thereafter plucked out himself from the New Zealand tour early of this year (in January 2022) detailed all about taking break when he told a private TV channel that he knows which format would have to give importance or preference and the time came to think about Test cricket whether he would available for Tests or not. And even if would play would consider whether he need to participate in ODIs where no points are at stake. I don't have any other option. Ultimately, now it becomes a big issue that how sensible it is that the most important member of a team to announce or take away himself from the team ahead of a series whether it is home or away.
If we give a look to world cricket, there are so many great cricketers, it would tough to have such an example that any of them had such a character that they played or play in accordance with their choice. Though it is seen at present and also was seen in the past that if any cricketer is not interested to play any version of cricket he just step down from that format. But never seen that whenever and whatever he thinks or thought important would play otherwise skip from the series of a particular format he does not like to play.
In due course, people may raise the question of commitments of that very cricketer, who used to give importance his likings rather than the interest of the country or the demand of his followers (future cricketers), think him their idol, fans love him and have respect to his talents.