Pacer Taskin Ahmed missed out while pacer Tanzim Hasan Sakib earned a maiden call-up to the Test squad as the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced a 15-man squad for the first Test of the two-match series against Zimbabwe.

Taskin is absent as he is still recuperating from injury and will not be available for selection for the second Test as well, said BCB's senior physician Dr. Debashis Chowdhury.

"Taskin is currently rehabilitating for a left Achilles tendon issue and is not available for the series," Debashish was quoted in a BCB media release.

Liton Das, who was handed NOC by the BCB for the entire season of PSL and left for Pakistan today, was the other notable absentee from Bangladesh's previous Test series, which was in the Caribbean last year. Batter Shahadat Hossain Dipu, pacer Shoriful Islam and spinner Hasan Murad have also lost their place in the squad.

Alongside Tanzim, who has made 28 appearances in white ball cricket for Bangladesh but is yet to feature in Tests, the experienced Mushfiqur Rahim, pacer Khaled Ahmed and spinner Nayeem Hasan have been added to the squad.

The first Test begins at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on April 20, while the second match starts on April 28 at Chattogram's Bir Shrestha Flight Lieutenant Motiur Rahman Stadium.

SQUAD

Najmul Hossain Shanto (Captain), Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Shadman Islam, Zakir Hasan, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahidul Islam, Jaker Ali Anik, Mehidy Hasan Miraz (Vice Captain), Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Nahid Rana, Hasan Mahmud, Khaled Ahmed, Tanzim Sakib