Bangladesh's rise across the formats has
been a reflection of the giant strides Shakib
took in his career. However, in September
2017, Shakib requested the board to allow
him a break from Test cricket. The move was
seen as a well thought one to prolong the
career at a time when the growing demands
of non-stop cricket had started taking its toll
on cricketers. The board agreed partially -
Shakib had asked for a six-month break - and
allowed him to skip the Test series against