<div><b><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Bangladesh will see how opening batsman Tamim Iqbal gets on during practice before deciding if he is fit to play in the one-off Test against Afghanistan in Dhaka starting Wednesday.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>The hosts are already missing star all-rounder and skipper Shakib Al Hasan, who has been nursing a finger injury, and there are also doubts whether pace bowler Taskin Ahmed will play.</div><div><br></div><div>The availability of Tamim -- one of Bangladesh's most experienced players and posting an average of 38.89 with the bat -- will depend how his back is after practice.</div><div><br></div><div>"I think he is going to train today and see how he feels," coach Chandika Hathurusingha said on Tuesday.</div><div><br></div><div>"He trained the day before and he had some discomfort when he was doing certain disciplines, fielding and batting.</div><div><br></div><div>"So he's going to train today and we will assess him after training."</div><div><br></div><div>If Tamim does not make it, Zakir Hasan and Mahmudul Hasan could open the batting for Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>Hathurusingha also refused to guarantee the inclusion of Taskin despite him recovering from a side injury that ruled him out of Bangladesh's last Test, a seven-wicket win over Ireland in April.</div><div><br></div><div>With the Asia Cup and one-day World Cup approaching, the team are worried about Taskin's workload.</div><div><br></div><div>He is one of the few players who is a regular starter for Bangladesh in all three formats when fit.</div><div><br></div><div>"Physically I think he is in the best condition we all have seen," said Hathurusingha.</div><div><br></div><div>"There's no injury. Bowling workload is the one little bit of concern we had leading up to this period.</div><div><br></div><div>"So again, him also, we will assess after today's training and then make up our minds."</div><div><br></div><div>The one-off Test against Afghanistan at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium is set to take place on a green track much like the one for the Ireland Test.</div><div><br></div><div>"You know that with this heat it'll deteriorate very quickly and then it'll help the spinners in the latter parts of the game," said Hathurusingha.</div><div><br></div><div>The two teams have played only one previous Test, with Afghanistan beating their hosts by 224 runs in Chittagong in 2019. - AFP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>