Shakib Al Hasan was spotted biting down on a black strap encircling his neck during the Chennai Test. Why? This is a part of his attempt to bat with his head in the proper position.
According to statements made by Shakib’s chief physician, Dr. Debashish Chowdhury, and mentor, Muhammad Salahuddin, Shakib invented this system on his own to prevent his head from toppling over when playing ball. Previously, he had used a neck brace to adjust the posture of his head during batting.
The head-positioning issues were brought on by an eye ailment that manifested last year. Ophthalmologists in Chennai, London, Dhaka, and Singapore diagnosed Shakib with Central Serous Chorioretinopathy (CSC), a disorder where fluid accumulates behind the retina and can cause vision distortion.
Therefore, he had to practice angling his head to have the best possible sight of the ball without toppling over to the point where it would impair his technique. Since then, he has worked on this for many hours.
Shakib continuously practiced his shadow stance at an interview in May of this year. He was trying to determine precisely what head position—given the current state of his eyes—works best for him.
Shakib often speaks with Salahuddin about his cricketing prowess. “We all have one dominant eye, so when that is giving him trouble viewing the ball, it can be problematic,” the cricketer remarked.
Salahuddin was happy that Shakib was experimenting with a different technique to realign his head until he noticed him biting down on the rubber strap. “It will benefit him. This is not what I told him to do.
He told me last night how he came up with the notion over the phone. He fastens it around his neck to maintain the stability of his head and neck by biting down on it. It is not ideal for a batter when the eyes move together with the head and neck.”
According to Dr. Chowdhury, Shakib alone is able to determine whether or not this most recent trial is beneficial to him. “It’s a personal matter for him. Whether or not it is effective for him, he will comprehend. I believe it’s okay as long as there’s no risk to health.”
Due to an eye ailment, Shakib could not play in several BPL matches this year and in Bangladesh’s white-ball matches against Sri Lanka. He played in the 2024 T20 World Cup, the T20 Internationals against Zimbabwe and the USA, and the second Test match against Sri Lanka in Chattogram this year to mark his comeback to international cricket.
He played a crucial role in Bangladesh’s victory against Pakistan in the Test series earlier this month, going 2-0. He also participated in a Surrey vs. Somerset County Championship game.
Shakib didn’t make much of an impact with the bat during the Chennai Test, giving up more than six runs per over in the 21 overs he bowled. Concerns have been raised, particularly regarding a potential finger injury.
When questioned about Shakib’s position in the lineup at the post-match press conference, Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto stated that he didn’t think he needed to utilize the senior all-rounder in the first innings “seeing how the three pace bowlers were doing.”
“I look at how much hard work a player puts into his game,” Shanto stated. “If he is having enough difficulty to recover. What goal do they have for their team? To what extent is he ready to contribute to the team?
Some may interpret this statement because Shakib Bhai is the subject of the query. I view everyone equally, from Mushfiq[you’re] bhai to Nahid Rana. I consider his preparation more important than whether or not he is scoring runs.
What does he think of the team? I am pleased with the level of preparation and willingness to contribute shown by each player of our test squad.”
Shakib’s finger issue only became apparent “after he started to bowl” in Chennai, according to Bangladesh selector Hannan Sarkar on Monday. Nevertheless, he acknowledged that they would have to wait to see if he would fit Kanpur. To read more cricket highlights, click Betpro account.
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It cannot be immediately classified as an injury. Before the game, he was not aware of the issue. After he started to bowl, he felt it. Later in the game, he was struck in the same spot again. That hurt.