Bangladesh batter Mushfiqur Rahim is expected to return for the second Test against West Indies after missing the series opener in Mirpur due to a right index finger injury. The veteran wicketkeeper-batter was ruled out of the first match on October 28, with the team management hopeful that he will recover in time for the next Test.

The second Test is scheduled to begin in Sylhet on November 5. Bangladesh have named Towhid Hridoy as Mushfiqur's replacement for the opening match, while national team physio Bayjedul Islam Khan has indicated that the senior batter could be fit again within three days.

Bangladesh Bat First in Test Series Opener Against West Indies

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto won the toss and elected to bat first in the opening Test at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur. Shanto said the team wanted to make the most of the batting conditions before the pitch began to assist the spinners.

The Bangladesh captain also stressed the importance of building partnerships, following encouraging signs from the team's previous outing. He confirmed that the hosts had selected three spinners, two seamers and all-rounders for the contest.

“We will bat first, looks like a pretty good pitch and will spin later,” Shanto said.

“I think we started very well, especially in the last Test. The opening partnership was good. But the thing is, we need to make big partnerships. We need to build a lot of partnerships. So that was the discussion we had before this Test match,” he added.

Shanto said the players had prepared well and were focusing on the immediate challenge rather than looking too far ahead in the World Test Championship cycle.

“We're looking at one match at a time, and we're just thinking about small targets. And then, if we follow our process, we can easily achieve those goals,” he said.

Mushfiqur Rahim Ruled Out of 1st Test, Towhid Hridoy Named Replacement

Mushfiqur Rahim was ruled out of the series opener after sustaining a contusion to his right index finger during training on Tuesday. The injury was monitored by the team medical staff, but he had not recovered sufficiently by Wednesday morning to take part in the match.

His absence forced Bangladesh to bring Towhid Hridoy into the playing XI. The decision came as a setback for the hosts, given Mushfiqur's experience and importance to the batting order.

The injury had initially attracted limited concern from the team management after it occurred during practice. Ice was applied to the affected finger before Mushfiqur left the training session, but further assessment ruled him out of the first Test.

Bangladesh's playing XI for the opener included Shadman Islam, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Mominul Haque, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Litton Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nayeem Hasan, Taijul Islam, Hasan Mahmud and Shoriful Islam.

Mushfiqur Rahim Set to Return for 2nd Test vs West Indies

Despite missing the opening match, Mushfiqur Rahim is expected to be available for the second Test in Sylhet, according to Bangladesh team physio Bayjedul Islam Khan. The medical staff are hopeful that the finger injury will settle within three days.

“Mushfiqur Rahim suffered an injury in his right index finger during practice yesterday. He was under observation but till this morning he had not recovered sufficiently. It's a contusion injury and we are hoping that within three days he will be able to recover from it and he will be available for the next Test,” Bayjedul said, as quoted by The Daily Star.

Mushfiqur Rahim's return would provide Bangladesh with an experienced batting option for the second match. His availability, however, will depend on his recovery over the coming days and the medical team's assessment ahead of the November 5 Test.