Shakib falters once more, leaving his future in doubt

Shakib Al Hasan has reportedly failed the bowling action test conducted in Chennai on December 21, a result that the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) learned unofficially a few days ago. Speaking on the matter in Sylhet, Gazi Ashraf Hossain called the development "shocking." However, the BCB cannot officially announce the outcome as they had not received the written report by last night.

According to ICC regulations on illegal bowling actions, if a bowler is penalized again within two years of their first suspension, they face an automatic one-year ban from bowling. During this time, they cannot attempt an action correction test. As per these rules, Shakib would be restricted from bowling in any format except domestic cricket until receiving clearance from an ICC-accredited center. However, he can continue working to rectify his bowling action and undergo testing at an ICC-approved facility once he believes the issues have been resolved.

A BCB source has suggested that the negative result from the Chennai test might have been caused by a "technical error." If this is confirmed, the test result could be invalidated, and Shakib would have the opportunity to retake the test. The Chennai test was conducted in collaboration with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), and the report will be shared with the ECB, who will then forward it to the BCB or release the findings via a press statement.

When asked about the matter, a senior BCB official said, “We have unofficially heard that Shakib failed the action test in Chennai. However, we cannot make a definitive statement until we receive the official report.” 

Reports also surfaced that Shakib underwent another test in Chennai following the December 21 evaluation, but no confirmation was available. It was noted, however, that Shakib has been in the United States over the past few days. Concerns about his bowling action initially arose during a Division One match of the English County Championship last September, where Shakib represented Surrey against Somerset. Despite Surrey’s loss by 111 runs, Shakib impressed with 9 wickets in 63 overs across two innings. Two months later, umpires raised concerns about his action, prompting a test on December 2 at Loughborough University. 

During the Loughborough test, Shakib bowled four overs. While the first three overs were delivered with his standard action, he applied additional force in the final over, suspecting that this specific action might have raised concerns among county match officials. However, results from Loughborough, revealed on December 10, deemed his action illegal. This led to the December 21 test in Chennai, the outcome of which, if confirmed as negative, would pose a significant setback to Shakib’s cricketing career.

There are growing uncertainties surrounding Shakib’s participation in the upcoming Champions Trophy. If he cannot bowl and is limited to playing as a batsman, the BCB may reconsider his inclusion in the squad. Nevertheless, ICC rules allow players to challenge their action test results if they suspect inaccuracies in the assessment.