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.
Nahid Rana misses the Test series against Australia “due to a left-side strain” 🤕
He has taken 44 wickets in international cricket this year – the most by any bowler – at an average of 18.31, including 4 five-fors
🔗 https://t.co/bMEwaF9Jgb pic.twitter.com/3n0gdRgxYW
— Cricinfo (@cricinfo) July 25, 2026
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.
Nahid Rana Misses Australia Test Tour Due to Injury
Nahid Rana performed exceptionally well against Australia. He took four wickets for 41 runs in the home ODI series. However, the side strain he sustained in Harare has halted his momentum.
The medical team at the BCB expects Rana to undergo a strict recovery programme. 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.
Details of the Side Strain Injury
Medical scans confirmed Rana had suffered a Grade 2 strain on his left side. Injury of this type 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.
🚨 Nahid Rana’s scan has confirmed a Grade 2 side strain after returning from Zimbabwe.
Recovery from this type of injury typically takes 30 to 60 days.#BangladeshCricket #BCB pic.twitter.com/QANfT9pSq2
— Shadman Sakib Arnob (@arnuX05) July 24, 2026
In addition, 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 Match?
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has not yet officially named a specific replacement player for Nahid Rana in the squad for the Darwin Test. Taskin Ahmed will possibly 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.
Update on Shoriful Islam and Litton Das
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.
Bangladesh has ruled out Nahid Rana and Tanzim Hasan Sakib from away #Test series vs Australia.
Rana has Grade 2 side strain, while Sakib is still recovering from hip bone injury.
Shoriful Islam, Litton Das and Mustafizur Rahman are making steady progress, but all three are… https://t.co/Rxqg6FgO7Y
— The CricHub (@thecrichub_live) July 25, 2026
Additionally, wicketkeeper-batter Litton Das is recovering from a calf muscle injury. Litton recently travelled to Singapore for special medical treatment to speed up his recovery. He will start running and conditioning drills on July 28. If he passes his fitness assessment on August 13, he might join the team for the second Test match.
Other bowlers also face fitness struggles. Tanzim Hasan will miss most of 2026 due to a hip fracture. Mustafizur Rahman is recovering from hamstring and calf injuries but hopes to be available after August 18. These combined injuries leave the Bangladesh squad thin on experience as they prepare to fly to Australia on August 1.
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