Shakib Al Hasan announces retirement from Test cricket: 'Match against India in Kanpur will be my last if...'

Shakib Al Hasan has announced his retirement from Test cricket ahead of the second Test against India in Kanpur Friday, September 27. He said the match will be his last if BCB does not grant his request to play a farewell match in Mirpur.

"I have expressed my desire to play my last Test in Mirpur to BCB, if that won't happen, the match against India in Kanpur would be my last in Test cricket," Shakib Al Hasan said on the eve of the Kanpur Test.

South Africa are scheduled to land in Bangladesh for two Test matches in mid October. Cricket South Africa (CSA) are yet to give a security clearance for the series.

Thousands of people were killed in Bangladesh after a student protest turned violent against the ousted former PM Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government.

Shakib Al Hasan was one of the member of parliament from the party and hasn't been in the country since the fall of the old regime. Hasina also escaped to India moments before his official residence was attacked and looted by the protesters.

Recently, Shakib Al Hasan has also been accused in a murder case, and therefore he is worried about his security if he lands in Bangladesh for the series against South Africa.

"I am available for the South Africa series but since there's a lot happening back home, naturally not everything depends on me. I have discussed my plans about Test cricket with the BCB. Especially this series and the home series. I was thinking that it could be my last Test series," Shakib explained.

"I have told [BCB president] Faruque [Ahmed] bhai and the selectors. If there's a chance and if I can play, my last Test will be in Mirpur. The board is trying to ensure that I can play and feel safe, at the same time that I can leave the country without a hitch.

"I am a citizen of Bangladesh, so I shouldn't have any problem going back to Bangladesh," he said. "My concern is my safety and security in Bangladesh. My close friends and family members are concerned. I hope things are getting better. There should be a solution to it," he added.

The 37-year-old, who has played 70 Test matches for Bangladesh to score 4600 runs and pick 260 wickets, also confirmed that bBangladesh's match against Afghanistan in T20 World Cup 2024 was his last in the T20I format.

"I feel that I have already played my last T20I game during the World Cup. I had discussed my future with the Bangladesh Cricket Board and I think looking at the 2026 T20WC, it is the right time to move on for everyone. I have no regrets in taking this decision," Shakib, who played 129 T20Is in his stellar career, said.

Last year, Shakib Al Hasan was diagnosed with Central Serous Chorioretinopathy (CSC), a condition in which fluid builds up under the retina, which can distort vision.

Bangladesh's arguably greatest ever cricketer missed a few matches due to the condition before making his comeback in the second Test against Sri Lanka in Chattogram this year. He featured in the T20I series against Zimbabwe and USA before participating in his record ninth T20 World Cup.

The star all-rounder was also part of Bangladesh's 2-0 historic win in Pakistan, but did not perform as per the expectations. He scored 15 runs in his only outing in the first Test but chipped in with three crucial wickets in the second innings as Bangladesh registered their first-ever Test win against Bangladesh.

In the second Test, the southpaw picked one wicket across the two innings, scored 2 in the first innings and an unbeaten 21 in the second to complete Bangladesh's historic 2-0 whitewash over Pakistan.

He played a first-class match for Surrey before the India Tests. Bowling against Somerset, he picked nine wickets including a five-fer, but could score only 2 and 0 with the bat.

Shakib has found it difficult to be at the peak of his batting after his eye condition. He has been struggling with the head-positioning problem triggered by the eye condition. He got starts in both the innings of India in the Chennai Test, but failed to convert them into big scores.

On Wednesday, Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe backed Shakib Al Hasan and shunned all the reports around his finger to confirm that he would be available for selection in the Kanpur Test. He also backed the veteran cricketer to return to form.