Decoding Shakib Al Hasan's poor Test record against India
Bangladesh eye history as they travel to India for a two-match Test series against the hosts, starting on September 19. The Tigers have never defeated India in red-ball cricket and they would be raring to end their drought. Meanwhile, Shakib Al Hasan, one of Bangladesh's key figures, owns a poor Test record against India. Here we decode the same.
A batting average of 26.85
As per ESPNcricinfo, Shakib owns a decent batting average of 38.50 in Tests. However, it comes considerably down to 26.85 against India. South Africa (20.30) and England (25.66) are the only sides against which the southpaw averages less. Meanwhile, the veteran has managed 376 runs across eight Tests against India (50s: 2). His highest score against the opposition reads 84.
21 wickets with the ball
With the ball, the left-arm spinner has scalped 21 wickets across 12 innings against the Indian side at a poor average of 37.95. The tally includes a solitary fifer (5/62). Pakistan (58.50) are the only side against which Shakib averages more with the ball. Shakib took two wickets besides recording scores worth 82 and 22 in his only previous Test appearance in India.
Do you know?
Shakib could not touch the 30-run mark in eight of his 14 Test innings against India. He also went wicket-less five times against them. The 37-year-old would want to improve his record going forward.
Here are his overall Test numbers
Having played 69 games, Shakib has smashed 4,543 runs at an average of 38.50. He owns 31 fifties and five hundreds, with the best score of 217 against New Zealand at Basin Reserve. With 242 wickets at 31.31, Shakib is also Bangladesh's highest wicket-taker in Test cricket. The left-arm spinner has 10 four-wicket hauls and 19 fifers in the format (10WM: 2).
