"Wanted the board to not consider me for longer-version cricket because of my shoulder" - Taskin Ahmed skips Test cricket to prolong career

Bangladeshi fast bowler Taskin Ahmed has decided to skip Test cricket to manage his injury and prolong his cricketing career.

Taskin, who was recently seen in action in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), has asked the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) not to consider him for future Test assignments. However, he hasn't announced his retirement from Tests officially as of yet.

Many perceive that Taskin's decision to skip Test cricket has something to do with BCB not giving him a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to participate in IPL 2024. However, the tearaway pacer cleared the air, saying that a shoulder injury forced him to take the call of leaving one format.

"Look, I wanted the board to not consider me for longer-version cricket because of my shoulder - there's a big tear - and nothing else," Taskin Ahmed said in an interview with Cricbuzz. "And everyone in the board, along with my teammates and every individual involved in the national team, is aware about it. They know that I am really having problem and I am very desperate as far as playing cricket is concerned."

"I am sure selectors and everyone in the board knows how desperate I am to play cricket but the thing is that still I am not in my best rhythm," he continued. "I am struggling from the World Cup and probably I am doing reasonably but I could not give my best. God forbid, if the tear increases and I have to go for surgery, in that case, I will be out for long time. I can tear it even while playing white-ball cricket but the thing is that I have a career ahead. I want to take a chance so that I can play for long time in white-ball cricket and that is the reason I spoke with the board and they said ok."

Taskin Ahmed made his Test debut in 2017 against New Zealand in Wellington. He has played only 13 Tests, picking up 30 wickets, including three four-wicket hauls.

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"If I don't play IPL at all in my career still it's ok" - Taskin Ahmed on playing in the cash-rich league

Although Taskin Ahmed came close to playing in the IPL a few times, things didn't materialize. He had an offer from the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) to replace England pacer Mark Wood, but BCB didn't give him the NOC.

When asked if he would be disappointed if he doesn't get to play in the IPL in his career, Taskin replied:

"If my dream of playing in the IPL is not materialized it is ok and if that happens (I am playing in the IPL) Alhamdulillah. If I don't play IPL at all in my career still it's ok and this is due to the fact if you think about three years back where I was because I am performing for the last three years but before that what was I doing."

"Now I have more experience and I have lot of things to give to my country and, at the same time, if there is free time, I want to earn through playing franchise cricket because my career is half done and only half left and that is reason and I am sure the board understood that and will support me," he added.

Only a handful of Bangladesh players have participated in the IPL. Among those, all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan and left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman are the most notable ones.