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Following an innings defeat to Sri Lanka, Najmul Hossain Shanto resigned as Bangladesh's Test captain, citing team betterment. He questioned the logic of having different captains across formats, saying it hampers the team’s overall progress.
Bangladesh batter Najmul Hossain Shanto stepped down from his Test captaincy duties after the team’s defeat to the hosts Sri Lanka in the second and final match of the Test series at Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo on Saturday, June 28.
Bangladesh lost the two-match series following an innings and 78-run defeat to Sri Lanka in the second Test. The first match ended in a draw at the Galle International Stadium on June 21. In the second Test, Sri Lanka took a 211-run lead by surpassing the visitors’ first innings total of 247 and posted a total of 458.
However, in the second innings, Bangladesh failed to offer resistance as they were bundled out for 133, crumbling under pressure and handing Sri Lanka a comprehensive innings and 78-run victory.
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Najmul Hossain Shanto quits Test captaincy
Right after the second Test against Sri Lanka, Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto surprised many by stepping down from red-ball captaincy. Speaking at the press conference, Shanto expressed his unwillingness to continue as a Test captain for the ‘betterment of the team’
“I am stepping down from the Bangladesh Test captaincy.” Najmul Hossain Shanto said.
“I don't want to continue as captain in this format, and I want to give a clear message to everyone: this is not a personal matter. It is entirely for the betterment of the team, and I believe this will help the team," he added.
Najmul Hossain Shanto was appointed as Bangladesh’s captain for the three formats of the game in February last year. During his short stint as Test captain, Shanto led Bangladesh in 14 matches, winning 4 and losing 9, and has a win percentage of 28.57, the highest by any Bangladesh skipper in Tests.
‘Illogical to have 3 captains for 3 formats’
Recently, Najmul Hossain Shanto stepped down from the ODI captaincy, and the Bangladesh Cricket Board handed leadership duties in the shorter format to Mehidy Hasan Miraz. In May last year, Shanto was removed as T20I captain, and Litton Das was appointed to lead the team in the shortest format.
With only leading in Test cricket, Najmul Hossain Shanto believes that it is illogical to have three captains for three different formats of the game, adding that it is up to the board whether they want to have three captains for each format.
“Over the last few years, I have had the opportunity to be in this dressing room, and I don't feel it is logical to have three captains for three formats. This is completely my personal opinion. The cricket board might think otherwise, and I fully respect that. In my view, having three captains will be difficult for the team. So, for the betterment of the team, I am stepping down," the 26-year-old said.
"If the cricket board feels they will continue with three captains in three formats, that will be their decision. I just hope people don't see this as a personal issue or think I did this because I felt bad about the ODI captaincy snub. I want to make it clear again: this is for the betterment of the team. There is nothing personal here," he added.