Star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who recently made headlines by reversing his retirement from Test and T20I cricket, is feeling optimistic about the potential revival of cricketing ties between India and Bangladesh in the near future. The seasoned cricketer, who also has a background as a former member of the Bangladeshi parliament, believes that the emergence of new leadership will pave the way for smoother communication. He anticipates that once the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) holds its elections, the BCB and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will be able to engage in clear and constructive dialogue. “I think things will start to get better… A new government came in. I think they’ll take the right decision in terms of cricket. Also, our cricket board election is supposed to happen sometime soon. Once that happens, I think they’ll have good communication with not only India but also with all other boards. They’ll have a fruitful discussion, and they’ll take things forward,” Shakib was quoted as saying by The Indian Express. Also Read | 3 Reasons Why Mumbai Indians May Drop Suryakumar Yadav The tension between the two nations first escalated when the BCCI forced the removal of Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the Kolkata Knight Riders' squad ahead of the Indian Premier League 2026. In response, Bangladesh chose not to travel to India for their T20 World Cup matches, effectively withdrawing from the tournament. However, there have been signs of a thaw in relations from Bangladesh's side, especially as their cricket board recognized the financial repercussions of distancing themselves from the Indian cricketing stronghold. Recently, the BCB reached out to the Indian board in hopes of rekindling their cricketing relationship. "We maintain regular communication with various countries’ cricket boards. As part of that, we recently wrote to the Board of Control for Cricket in India,” BCB's director of cricket operations Nazmul Abedin Fahim had said, as per IE. The last time the two countries faced off in a bilateral series was back in 2024, when the Bangla Tigers visited the Men in Blue for a T20I series. They also clashed during the Men's T20 Asia Cup in 2025. Although they were scheduled to play a bilateral series in Bangladesh in August 2025, that series has been postponed indefinitely, leaving its future uncertain.