Mahmudullah included for West Indies Tests

Bangladesh have included batsman Mahmudullah and fast bowler Rubel Hossain in their 15-member squad for the two-Test series in the West Indies beginning next month. The only new face in the team is the wicketkeeper-batsman Saghir Hossain, who has 50 first-class matches to his credit.

Earlier in the day, the Bangladesh Cricket Board named Mashrafe Mortaza as captain for the tour in place of the under-fire Mohammad Ashraful, who held the job for two years.

Mahmudullah, earlier considered a limited-overs specialist, is yet to play a Test. He was included on the basis of a strong domestic season, during which he finished the second-highest run-getter with 710 runs.

Rubel made his first appearance for Bangladesh during the ODI series against the Sri Lankans at home in January and his raw pace and ability to bowl bouncers caught the attention. He has since played five ODIs and a Twenty20. His first-class experience is only limited to nine matches, and he has taken 20 wickets with one five-wicket haul.

Saghir, 22, has played for Bangladesh A and the under-19 team. Since his first-class debut for Khulna Division in 2004-05, he has scored 2184 runs with 11 half-centuries and a century and has effected 160 dismissals. He will be the back-up wicketkeeper for Mushfiqur Rahim.

The players dropped from the Test squad which faced Sri Lanka recently include opener Rajin Saleh and left-arm medium pacer Sajidul Islam. The left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak and seamer Syed Rasel are the other notable names missing in the list but both have been named as standbys.

The tour begins on July 3 with a three-day match against West Indies A at Bridgetown. The first Test gets underway on July 9 at St Vincent while the second and final game is at Grenada, starting July 17.

Squad Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), Shakib Al Hasan, Mohammad Ashraful, Tamim Iqbal, Junaid Siddique, Imrul Kayes, Raqibul Hasan, Mehrab Hossain jnr, Mahmudullah, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Shahadat Hossain, Enamul Haque jnr, Mahbubul Alam, Rubel Hossain, Saghir Hossain (wk).

Standbys: Abdur Razzak, Syed Rasel, Naeem Islam, Nazmul Hossain, Shamsur Rahman