Najmul Hossain Shanto has decided to step down as Bangladesh’s Test captain after the team lost their Test series in Sri Lanka 1-0. They were beaten badly in the second Test in Colombo, losing by an innings and 78 runs.
“This Is for the Team” – Najmul Hossain Shanto Clarifies His Decision
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Najmul Hossain Shanto said he stepped down not because he was upset, but because he believed it was the best decision for the team’s future.
“I don’t want to continue (as captain) in the Test format anymore,” Najmul Hossain Shanto said. “This is not personal. I have taken the decision for the betterment of the team. I think this will help the team. I have been a part of the dressing room for the past few years. I think three captains (for the three international formats) is not sensible. I don’t know what the board will feel about this, and I will support their decision. But this is my personal decision. I think three separate captains will be difficult for the team to deal with.”
Najmul Hossain Shanto emphasized that his decision wasn’t emotional or a reaction to the recent series defeat, but something he thought through carefully.
“I would want that no one feels this decision is emotional, or that I am disappointed by something. I want to make this clear. This is for the betterment of the team.”
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Shanto shared that he had told the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s cricket operations team about his decision to step down several days ago.
Shanto Already Replaced as ODI Captain
Earlier this month, Najmul Hossain Shanto was also replaced as Bangladesh’s ODI captain, with Mehidy Hasan Miraz taking over that role.
Shanto became the Test captain in November 2023 during the home series against New Zealand. Under his leadership, Bangladesh played 14 Tests – winning four, including two historic victories in Pakistan in August 2024. They lost nine matches and drew one.
Even though the team had mixed results, Shanto performed well with the bat while leading. As captain, he averaged 36.24 in Tests, better than his average of 29.83 when he wasn’t captain. In the four Tests that Bangladesh won under him, he averaged 37.16 with the bat.
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