Nahid Rana Sidelined: What This Means for Bangladesh's Historic Australia Test Tour

Dr. Annelies De Vos · 2026-07-26

The Bangladesh Cricket Board confirmed on Saturday that fast bowler Nahid Rana will miss the upcoming two-match Test series in Australia. The 23-year-old speedster suffered a Grade 2 left side strain during the second T20 international against Zimbabwe on July 17. This injury will require a six to eight-week recovery period, and he will miss the Darwin and Mackay fixtures. So, Bangladesh will have to play their first Test tour Down Under in 23 years without their fastest bowler against a world-class Australian side. ### A Rising Star's Setback Nahid Rana had been on a tear. He has taken 44 wickets in international cricket this year, the most by any bowler, at an average of 18.31, including four five-wicket hauls. He performed exceptionally well against Australia specifically, taking four wickets for 41 runs in the home ODI series. But the side strain he sustained in Harare has halted his momentum completely. The medical team at the BCB expects Rana to undergo a strict recovery program. The pacer will spend the first four weeks focusing on tissue healing. After this initial phase, he will spend another two to four weeks gradually increasing his bowling workload. This timeline means he cannot regain full fitness before the series ends in late August. ### Understanding the Grade 2 Side Strain Medical scans confirmed Rana had suffered a Grade 2 strain on his left side. This type of injury is common in fast bowlers due to the high physical demands of their bowling actions. Rana was seen holding his back during the match against Zimbabwe, and later tests revealed the extent of the problem. Recovery from this type of injury typically takes 30 to 60 days. The BCB medical staff will have to make sure that Rana does not come back to the field too early. If he tries to rush his recovery, he risks a long-term injury that could affect his career. So the board has put his long-term health above the immediate needs of the Test squad. ### Who Will Replace Nahid Rana in the Darwin Test? The Bangladesh Cricket Board has not yet officially named a specific replacement player for Nahid Rana in the squad for the Darwin Test. Taskin Ahmed will likely replace the injured Rana. Alongside Rana and Shoriful Islam, Taskin helped Bangladesh develop one of the fastest pace attacks in Test cricket recently. He will likely lead the attack in Rana's absence. While specific new names are not mentioned, Australia coach Andrew McDonald noted that Bangladesh has some depth outside of their primary injured quicks. He warned that their pace attack could still be dangerous on Australian pitches. ### More Injury Woes for Bangladesh The injury list for Bangladesh does not end with Nahid Rana. Left-arm pacer Shoriful Islam also sustained a hamstring injury during the tour of Zimbabwe. He will likely miss the opening Test in Darwin while he continues his rehabilitation. However, the BCB remains hopeful that he can return for the second Test in Mackay. Shoriful plans to resume bowling on July 29 and will take a fitness test around August 12. Additionally, wicketkeeper-batter Litton Das is recovering from a calf muscle injury. Litton recently traveled to Singapore for special medical treatment to speed up his recovery. Bangladesh also ruled out Tanzim Hasan Sakib, who is still recovering from a hip bone injury. Mustafizur Rahman is making steady progress but remains uncertain for the series. - Nahid Rana: Grade 2 side strain, out for 6-8 weeks - Shoriful Islam: Hamstring injury, likely misses first Test - Litton Das: Calf muscle injury, undergoing treatment in Singapore - Tanzim Hasan Sakib: Hip bone injury, ruled out This series marks Bangladesh's first Test tour of Australia in 23 years. Without their premier fast bowler, the challenge just got a whole lot steeper.