Mushfiqur rules out ODI return

Mushfiqur Rahim, Bangladesh's leading wicket-keeper batsman, on Friday ruled out the possibility of returning to ODI cricket again by reversing his retirement, reports Cricbuzz.

Cricbuzz understands BCB high-ups requested him to reconsider his ODI retirement decision and make a comeback in the 50-over format for the upcoming 2027 ICC World Cup, scheduled in South Africa.

Mushfiqur admitted he received the offer but added that he does not have any desire of playing ODIs again.

"I think that yes, obviously the message came to me (about returning to ODI cricket) but I think that the Bangladesh team is at such a stage now and will go to such a stage in the future that my service will not required (in ODIs)," Mushfiqur told reporters at Sylhet on Friday.

Mushfiqur added that he is not surprised with the rise of Nahid Rana as he saw him closely in the domestic dressing room and was impressed with his work ethic.

"Rana has been playing cricket for many years. Test cricket may be new to him, but he is playing first-class cricket, national team cricket, cricket at other levels. I have known him since first-class days," said Mushfiqur.

"I played for Sylhet for the last two years (in the domestic first-class tournament) but when I last played for Rajshahi that's when I saw Nahid Rana and saw him up close and played with him," he said.

"So from then on, I liked him very much and I knew that InshaAllah, he will definitely play for the national team in the future. But since then, his interest in learning or his desire to improve himself is very rare in any young player," he said.

"Though I didn't play for Rajshahi, but even then, I was never surprised to see his (Rana's) growth because that day, when I saw that, I realized that he still has this desire, even after doing so well, the way he thinks about a particular batsman or his work ethic or his food and drink, it's a very good sign. If any young player is not like this, then the team's environment actually becomes different," he added.

Mushfiqur said that the wicket in Sylhet would be batting friendly but added that weather might be a spoiler in the second Test.

"I think the weather is a bigger challenge than your wicket and recently we played a BCL match here too. So Sylhet has always had a very nice batting wicket," he noted.

Mushfiqur, who earlier retired from white-ball cricket, added that he had not made up his mind about retiring from Tests but added that he is eagerly waiting to play Test series in Australia.

Bangladesh tour Australia in August 2026 for a two-Test series, marking their first Test tour there in 18 years. The matches are part of the 2025-2027 ICC World Test Championship and will be played in Darwin and Mackay, serving as rare winter Tests in Australia.

"So, I have this desire to spend as many days on the field as I can while I am alive. I haven't decided whether I will quit now or when I will quit. But, Insha Allah, I will quit when I will be having a good time, Insha Allah," he said.

"Obviously it is a big dream to go to Australia and play a Test against Australia," he concluded.