Guwahati: It's not official, but the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB)'s "internal assessment" is that gifted Mustafizur Rahman is "exhausted" and needs at least a fortnight off cricket activities.

A well-placed source in the world of cricket conveyed that to The Telegraph late on Tuesday.

The well-placed source, who didn't wish to be identified, said: "Besides the injuries/niggles, Mustafizur spent almost two months in India, playing for the Sunrisers Hyderabad, and probably felt homesick...

"While the IPL has its advantages, it could be very difficult for somebody hailing from a village in Bangladesh...

"From what I've gathered, language was an issue and the weather took its toll as well. That apart, Mustafizur isn't used to so much of travelling...

"Whatever I've pointed out isn't a reflection on the Sunrisers, though."

Officially, Mustafizur's fitness assessment by the BCB's medical team is to continue.

It wasn't completed during the day.

An assessment became necessary after Mustafizur's left hamstring injury during the closing stages of the just-ended IPL.

Also, in a first, the left-arm Mustafizur has landed a career-improving contract with Sussex.

In the IPL, turning out for the eventual champions, Mustafizur missed only Qualifier 2. But, perhaps, he played Sunday's final despite being less than 100 per cent fit.

The hamstring injury is, of course, the latest worry.

Mustafizur suffered a left shoulder injury during the T20Is against Zimbabwe at home, in January. Then came the right side strain in the latter stage of the February-March Asia Cup (again at home).

The side strain spilled over into the early part of the World T20 in India. Mustafizur missed all three qualifying matches and Bangladesh's opening game of the tournament proper, against Pakistan.

So gruelling has been the schedule that IPL IX began days after the World T20. Fortunately for the Sunrisers, Mustafizur's hamstring injury came at the end, for he was such a key performer.

According to a source in the BCB, national team physio Baizid-ul Islam and a panel of doctors made their "preliminary" assessment when Mustafizur met them within 18 hours of returning to Bangladesh.

"Mustafizur has had injuries right from the start of the year, yet has played so much cricket...

"The physio and the doctors sent Mustafizur for a scan and the report is awaited...

"Mustafizur is no ordinary pacer and, so, everything would be done with a fair degree of caution," the BCB source told this Reporter at 7.00 pm.

The BCB source added that Mustafizur's fitness assessment will continue for a "couple of days" before a decision is taken on when to give the go-ahead for him to leave for Sussex.

Mustafizur's rise to the top, well within a year of his Bangladesh debut in April 2015, has been phenomenal.

However, the workload on Mustafizur has been very heavy. In any case, he's just 20 and was a teenager when he first played at the international level.

It's about striking a balance. But, then, Bangladesh would like Mustafizur to play in every match. The Sunrisers's thinking could not have been any different.

The BCB is keen that Mustafizur plays for Sussex, yet is concerned about the injuries. That's perfectly understandable.