Rajani, who was in India with his family, crossed the border yesterday and immediately notified national team manager Sayeed Hassan Kanan about his arrival.

"He called me from Jessore to confirm that he would be available at tomorrow's training. The phone call perhaps saved him because the coach had given him a deadline which expires today. The team management was also looking for a replacement," said Kanan to The Daily Star over phone.

"We know he is an important player but he has doing this for long. This is a concern for us. We want to make sure he does not do it again. So the management committee wants to sit with him when he arrives," Kanan added.

Rajani was also late to join the camp before the SAFF Championship but got back into the side simple because of his class.

However, the Argentine coach would never tolerate such irregularities and it could be a last warning for the former national captain.

The national team, preparing for the Asian Cup qualifiers, will leave Dhaka on February 19 by an Air Indian flight that will take them to Uzbekistan capital Tashkent via Kolkata and Delhi. Bangladesh take on Uzbekistan on February 22 in the group opener.

The 22-team squad is expected to be short-listed by February 17 but there is very little chance Cruciani's charges would get a match practice before their departure.

Only Mohammedan and Brothers Union are in action in the off-season due their AFC Cup commitment but Mohammedan will leave Dhaka tomorrow for Thailand to play a practice match. Brothers began their training yesterday.