Bashar was struck on the thumb while batting during yesterday's nets at the Bangabandhu National Stadium. It was a similar injury to the one the Tigers skipper had suffered while playing against England in Chittagong last year.

"There is evidence of fracture in the X-ray," Bashar told The Daily Star last night after he had consulted trainer Justin Cordy with the report.

"I will continue to train with the team but I will not attend the batting or fielding sessions," Bashar said adding that there was pain and swelling in the area where he was hurt.

Cordy however termed the fracture as of "minor" proportions and was confident that the country's number one batter will be fit in time for the ICC Champions Trophy in England next month.

"He will take ten days to recover and we might not risk playing him in Bangladesh's practice match in Scotland prior to the Champions Trophy. But he is not a worry for the tournament," said Cordy.

All-rounder Manzarul Islam Rana complained of back pains after the squad's weight training session in the morning. Manzarul did not participate in the nets later. But Cordy, who himself had rejoined the camp on Monday after recovering from illness, said that there was nothing to be concerned about in Manzarul's case too.

Cordy has opted for a more relaxed fitness programme for the England tour compared to the tough physical workout the cricketers endured before the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka.

There were whisperings too that some players were not pleased with the 'excessive' load and had blamed the over-emphasis on fitness as a reason for their lacklustre showing in the regional event.

When asked about the criticism of his training style, Cordy explained: "We certainly worked them hard according to a plan. But a bad start and things went wrong. Once we started to lose, players got into a shell and rather than working to develop as a team, they became negative. It spread among each other. We need to change that so that they can focus on the positives.

'The break when I was in Australia for treatment, gave me time to think about the team's fitness training and reflect on that. We are making fitness more scientific. I am trying to find who needs what and set up specific tasks for each player. Now we have to work as a team to move forward.

'Looking back to Sri Lanka won't help players when they will be playing the Champions Trophy. We are just trying to inject positive thinking, attitude and training so that they can be positive on the field."

On his illness, the Australian said that according to doctors in Australia there was only a remote possibility that he would experience mental blackouts in future like the one he had encountered during the Asia Cup.

"It's a cyst but the doctors could not say why and where it developed. It is in a position that will not affect my brain or activities. They have given me the go ahead to work. To have a similar attack again is a chance in a million."