With the selectors now moving forward with a long-term strategy in both limited-overs and Test cricket, it is imperative that it involves proper utilisation of resources to form balanced units across formats.

The inclusion of wicketkeeper-batsman Nurul Hasan in the 20-member Test squad for the two-match Test series against the West Indies indicates that the selectors are now looking to create more options behind the wicket in the longest format.

Mushfiqur Rahim has served the Test side as a wicketkeeper-batsman for a long time and is the most successful one too. But there was always a concern over not getting the most from Mushfiqur the batsman due to his heavy load as a keeper.

Many had opined that Mushfiqur, one of the most assured and technically correct batsman in the Tigers' side with the ability to tackle world-class bowling in any condition, should bat up the order.

While two of Mushfiqur's three double hundreds in Tests came as a wicketkeeper-batsman, there are also questions over his wicketkeeping skills, which also put extra pressure on him.

It was in the home series against Zimbabwe in March last year when Mushfiqur smashed his third Test ton and became the only Bangladeshi to achieve the feat. In that match, he played as a specialist batsman while Liton Das kept wicket.

Liton, a highly-rated batsman and swift behind the stumps, has got all the ability to replace Mushfiqur as a wicketkeeper in the longest format.

Despite Mushfiqur previously stating that wicketkeeping helps him as a batsman, as the experienced cricketer is in his 30s now, the time has also come to prepare for the future.

The team management would also want to fully utilise the huge potential of Liton the batsman and the class he displays every now and then.

His statistics in Test cricket are not as impressive as he would want them to be -- he averages in the mid-twenties with five fifties from 20 Tests.

However, Liton, whose main identity is as an opening batsman, has mostly played at number seven and eight in his brief Test career. In this regard, the team management can also promote him to open the innings with Tamim Iqbal.

On the other hand, Nurul, another wicketkeeper-batsman, could feel a touch unlucky as he was dropped from the Test side after playing just three Tests despite making a good impression.

Nurul made his Test debut against New Zealand in 2017 at Christchurch and scored 47 runs in the first innings and also had three dismissals behind the stumps.

But he was dropped and later selected in 2018 during the series in West Indies. Nurul scored 68 runs in the second innings in the match in which the Tigers were bundled out for just 43 runs in the first innings in Antigua.

The 27-year-old was eventually dropped again after the West Indies tour but Nurul has always been on the scene in the domestic circuit and is rated one of the most skilful keepers in the country.

The importance of a highly skilled keeper in Test cricket cannot be overstated as wickets are at a premium, and so any long-term plan must involve the presence of such a gloveman.