Don’t expect any miracle from Shakib: Domingo

Bangladesh head coach Russell Domingo has urged all to be patient with Shakib Al Hasan and not to expect a miracle from the ace all-rounder once he returns to cricket, reports BSS.

Shakib’s ban that he is serving now due to his failure to report corrupt approaches of the bookies, will be lifted on October 29. From that day he is eligible to play cricket. 

But according to Domingo, the scenario is different now as Shakib needs to adapt with cricket first after a gap of one year.

“Shakib is like a lot of other players, they need to get used to playing some cricket. So if you are expecting him to come straight away, and perform massive miracles, you have to be patient with him,” Domingo said here yesterday during a virtual press conference with the media. “He hasn’t played cricket for a year now. He is keen to play. He is the best all-rounder in the world. But he will also need to find his way. There’s a big difference between facing throwdowns and bowling machines, and facing a 140kph bowler in pressure situations.”

“I spoke to him yesterday. He is working hard on his fitness. He is out of the country at the moment. He will also need some time to find his feet, and get his confidence back. We know he is a quality player, so I expect him to have a fantastic 2021 season for Bangladesh,” he concluded.