Chennai (Tamil Nadu): Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan was seen biting his helmet string while batting on the second day of the ongoing first Test of the two-match series against India at MA Chidambaram Stadium, also known as Chepuak, here on Friday, September 20, 2024.
Shakib came into the middle when Bangladesh were reeling at 36/4. The southpaw got his innings started with a few quick boundaries and got his eye in.
During his innings, the veteran all-rounder was seen biting his helmet string while he faced the formidable Indian bowling attack. Shakib’s tactics went viral on social media as fans began wondering the reason behind his unique routine.
Former India cricketer Dinesh Karthik explained the reasoning behind Shakib’s habit on air, mentioning that his former teammate Tamim Iqbal disclosed the strategy behind his unique technique. Karthik further said that the string helped the former Bangladesh skipper to avoid his head from falling towards the leg side and keep it straight while facing the delivery.
Notably, the 37-year-old has been struggling with vision problems and even consulted an ophthalmologist earlier this year in London. The all-rounder was earlier seen biting his jersey while batting in the Global T20 Canada.
Shakib Al Hasan is leaving no stone unturned in his efforts to address his eye issues. ✅
— Washikur Rahman Simanto (@WashikurRahma75) September 20, 2024
Today he was (still) spotted biting down on a black strap while batting.#INDvsBAN #ShakibAlHasan pic.twitter.com/jLf1zS2ljI
Interestingly, before Shakib, opener Shadman Islam had revealed that his coach made him wear a cloth around his neck in practice to prevent his head from falling over while facing spinners.
Shakib remained the leading run scorer for his side as Bangladesh were eventually bowled out for 149 with India's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah taking 4/50 while Mohammed Siraj (2/30), Akash Deep (2/19) and Ravindra Jadeja (2/19) picked up two wickets each. India had a chance to enforce the follow-on, but Rohit Sharma and team management decided to bat again with a massive lead of 227 runs in the second innings.
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