Shakib Al Hasan: Bangladesh's controversial all-rounder announces retirement plans

The 37-year-old, who was part of the ousted Sheikh Hasina government, hopes to play last Test at home despite political uncertainty

Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has announced plans to retire from international cricket. AFP

Bangladesh's most accomplished cricketer Shakib Al Hasan announced he is retiring from Test cricket, bringing an end to one of the most successful, albeit controversial, careers in the country's short cricket history.

Speaking ahead of the second Test against India in Kanpur on Thursday, Shakib said he hopes to play his last red-ball against South Africa at home in Mirpur next month. He also revealed that he had already played his last T20 International at the World Cup earlier in the year.

The 37-year-old, who has been under scrutiny for his association with Bangladesh's ousted leader Sheikh Hasina and has not returned to his country since losing his parliamentary seat in a student-led revolution last month, also said next year's 50-over Champions Trophy in Pakistan will be his last appearance in international cricket.

“I have expressed my desire to play my last Test in Mirpur to BCB. If that does not happen, the match against India in Kanpur would be my last in Test cricket,” Shakib said. “This is the right time for me to move on and BCB will look into some new players.”

There is uncertainty over the South Africa series due to political unrest in Bangladesh with security clearances still awaited. The spotlight has been on Shakib particularly. The former lawmaker faces a number of legal cases back home after Bangladesh was plunged into political crisis by student-led protests.

The left-hander played a key role in his team's historic Test series sweep in Pakistan. He then went back to England to play county cricket for Surrey instead of returning home ahead of the India tour.

He made 32 and 25 with the bat in the first Test but went wicketless with the ball, raising questions about his position in the team and also future in the game.

Even so, Shakib remains the most successful cricketer to come out of Bangladesh representing his country in 70 Tests, 247 ODIs and 129 T20 matches.

He is the third highest run-scorer in Bangladesh's history in Tests (4,600), ODIs (7,570), and the No 1 in T20s (2,551). On top of that, he is the leading wicket-taker in all three formats (242 in Tests, 317 ODIs and 149 T20s).

The left-hander remains the only player to have topped the International Cricket Council all-rounder rankings in all three formats simultaneously.

His journey started in 2006 when Shakib made his international debut aged just 19 as a batting all-rounder against Zimbabwe.

He had already become a star by the time he hit a fifty against India in the following year's World Cup victory in the West Indies that is still remembered fondly by Bangladesh fans.

His remarkable 7-36 in a losing effort against New Zealand sealed his Test spot in 2008.

Two years later he led Bangladesh to their first ODI series win over a leading cricket nation, with a 4-0 home sweep of New Zealand.

Shakib struggled under the pressure of the captaincy so early in his career, and was sacked after a disappointing tour of Zimbabwe in 2011.

As his career grew, controversies followed. Shakib's disciplinary issues included threatening a spectator with a bat. He also made a lewd gesture to a television crew and was banned by the BCB for three ODIs.

A running dispute with coach Chandika Hathurusinghe and a decision to compete in the Caribbean Premier League without BCB clearance led to a six-month suspension.

Shakib reached his pinnacle on the field during the 2019 ODI World Cup in England, where he made 606 runs and claimed 11 wickets, an all-rounder record for the tournament.

But he also continued to court controversy. While Shakib was leading a players' strike for better pay in 2019, the ICC slapped him with a two-year ban for failing to report corrupt approaches by bookmakers.