NEW DELHI: Bangladesh's out-of-favour all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has revealed that extreme physical exhaustion pushed him to deliberately alter his bowling action during a County Championship match for Surrey - a decision that ultimately triggered his suspension.

The left-arm spinner was banned from bowling in all ECB-sanctioned competitions after independent tests at Loughborough University in December last year found his action to be illegal.

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Shakib had come under scrutiny during a first-class fixture against Somerset in Taunton, where he delivered nearly 65 overs across the two innings before umpires reported his action.

"I think I was doing it a little bit intentionally because I bowled more than 70 overs (in one match)," Shakib told the Beard Before Wicket podcast.

"I never bowled 70 overs in my career in a Test match. I was playing that four-day match for Surrey against Somerset in Taunton. I was so tired.

"I played back-to-back Test matches in Pakistan. We won that series and then I went to play those four-day matches. The only thing I was thinking the umpire could have done was just warn me first, at least. But it is in the rules, so they had the right. I didn't complain."

Shakib disclosed that he did not pass the initial action-correction test, but later managed to fix the flaw in his bowling action.

"I went to do the test, I failed. And then I saw my test. I was like, 'okay, so these things are happening'. Then I had to train for a couple of weeks so I went back to Surrey again and they were kind enough to help me. I did two sessions and I was back to normal. I was like, 'it's so easy'."

Soon-to-be 39 Shakib, a former Member of Bangladesh Parliament, had fled his country last year after Sheikh Hasina's government was overthrown. Since then, he has retired from Test cricket and has not been picked for white-ball teams.

Shakib had also failed a second bowling test in Chennai, after which the BCB selectors didn't pick him for the Champions Trophy. Even the board had clarified he was available to play as a batter in all forms of domestic and international cricket.

(With PTI Inputs)