Shakib Identifies Bangladesh’s Biggest Squad Weakness

Bangladesh have been playing international cricket for four decades, yet the team are still searching for their first major global title. According to former captain and star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, one of the key reasons behind that struggle is the lack of sufficient depth beyond the first-choice XI.

Bangladesh played their first One-Day International against Pakistan on 31 March 1986, marking the beginning of their journey on the international stage. Since then, the country has produced several generations of talented cricketers and achieved notable victories across formats. Yet the ultimate breakthrough at a major global tournament has remained elusive.

The Tigers have never reached a World Cup semi-final, let alone won the tournament. Their record in the Asia Cup is more encouraging, with Bangladesh having reached the final on three occasions, but they have failed to lift the trophy each time. The repeated inability to turn promising campaigns into titles has prompted continuing debate about the factors holding the team back.

Shakib, who has represented Bangladesh in all three formats and was once ranked the world’s leading all-rounder, believes the quality of the strongest XI is not necessarily the main concern. Instead, he pointed to the shortage of reliable alternatives when regular players are unavailable.

“Bangladesh are in a good position in all three formats. If you ask where the weakness lies, I would say our bench strength is limited,” Shakib said.

He explained that Bangladesh have capable players when their best XI is available, but the team’s overall balance can suffer when injuries force key players out or when the management needs to rotate the squad. In modern international cricket, where players face demanding schedules across Tests, ODIs and T20s, having dependable replacements has become increasingly important.

A strong bench does more than provide cover for injuries. It allows teams to rest players without significantly weakening the side, gives younger cricketers the opportunity to gain international experience and creates healthy competition for places. For Bangladesh, developing that depth could be particularly important as the team continues to manage a packed international calendar.

Shakib’s assessment also highlights the contrast between Bangladesh’s established first-choice players and the challenge of producing replacements of a similar standard. A team may have a competitive starting XI, but major tournaments often test the strength of the entire squad. Injuries, loss of form and workload management can quickly force changes, and teams with greater depth are usually better equipped to cope with such disruptions.

The former Bangladesh captain was more positive when discussing the country’s progress in fast bowling. He believes the improvement in the pace-bowling department is the result of years of sustained effort rather than a sudden development.

“It did not happen in one day. It is the result of many years of hard work. We have been working for a long time, and gradually our pace-bowling department has reached this level,” Shakib said.

Bangladesh’s fast-bowling resources have expanded considerably in recent years, with several pacers emerging as important members of the national set-up. The growth of this department has also increased the team’s ability to compete in conditions where pace and movement are particularly influential.

Shakib hopes that progress will continue. He believes the country’s fast bowlers can develop further and play an even greater role in Bangladesh’s future campaigns.

When asked about the most promising young players in the current Bangladesh side, Shakib chose not to single out one or two names. Instead, he suggested that several cricketers have the potential to develop into important players for the national team.

“There are many who have potential. There is no reason to name just one or two. Many of them have that potential,” he said.

His comments reflect a broader reality facing Bangladesh cricket. The country has no shortage of talented players, but converting potential into sustained international performance remains a key challenge. The development pathway from domestic cricket to the national team must continue to produce players who are ready to step in when established names are unavailable.

After 40 years of international cricket, Bangladesh have built a stronger cricketing culture and have enjoyed memorable victories, but the pursuit of major silverware continues. Shakib’s assessment suggests that strengthening the squad beyond the first-choice XI could be one of the most important steps towards achieving that next breakthrough.

For Bangladesh, the task is therefore not simply to build a strong starting XI. The bigger challenge is to create a squad deep enough to withstand injuries, rotation and loss of form while maintaining the same competitive edge. If the team can address that gap while continuing the progress made in pace bowling, the foundation for greater success across all three formats could become considerably stronger.