Khairul Alam; Sports Desk- Veteran wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur Rahim has officially addressed why he declined a recent proposal to return to One Day International (ODI) cricket.

Despite the national team’s middle-order struggles and four consecutive series defeats last year, the 39-year-old remains firm in his decision to stay retired from the shorter formats.

Speaking at a press conference in Sylhet ahead of the second Test against Pakistan, Mushfiqur confirmed the offer but expressed confidence in the current squad. “I received the proposal to return to ODIs,” he said.

“But I believe the Bangladesh team is now at a stage—and will continue to grow—where my services in that format will no longer be required”.

A Shift in Focus

Mushfiqur, who retired from T20Is three years ago and ODIs after last year’s Champions Trophy, now focuses solely on Test cricket.

Having played 274 ODIs with 7,795 runs and 9 centuries, he noted that after 15 years of a hectic international schedule, he is enjoying spending more time with his family.

The veteran remains a pillar of the Test side, recently contributing scores of 71 and 22 in the victory against Pakistan at Mirpur.

He believes the current Test team is the most consistent in Bangladesh’s history. “In the past, we played maybe three Tests a year; now we play 8 to 10,” Mushfiqur remarked, highlighting that increased frequency and a higher number of consistent performers have strengthened the side.

Future Plans

Now 40 years old and the first Bangladeshi to play 100 Tests, Mushfiqur has not set a specific retirement date from his final format. “I haven’t decided when to quit yet.

I want to spend as many days as possible on the field while I’m still performing well,” he said.

Bangladesh currently leads the two-match Test series against Pakistan 1-0, with the final match beginning tomorrow at the Sylhet International Stadium.