Najmul Hossain Shanto clarifies his decision was not a reaction to recent defeats or any disappointment, urges fans and media not to interpret it as an emotional move
DHAKA: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-June 28th, 2025) Bangladesh’s Test Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto has announced his resignation from the role following his team’s heavy defeat against Sri Lanka in the recently concluded Test series.
The announcement came during the post-match press conference after Bangladesh lost the final Test by an innings and 78 runs. Shanto stated that his decision was not personal but taken in the best interest of the team.
“I no longer wish to continue as Test captain. This is not an emotional or personal decision—it is for the betterment of the team,” he said.
Shanto highlighted that having three different captains for the three formats is not a sustainable approach for Bangladesh cricket.
“Having three separate captains for each format is not beneficial. I’ve been in the dressing room long enough to understand this, and I conveyed my decision to the board a few days ago,” he added.
Najmul Hossain Shanto had taken over the Test captaincy in November 2023, starting with the home series against New Zealand. Under his leadership, Bangladesh played 14 Test matches, winning 4, losing 9, and drawing 1. One of his most memorable achievements as captain came in August 2024, when Bangladesh secured back-to-back Test victories against Pakistan.
As a batsman, Shanto also showed improvement during his tenure as captain, averaging 36.24 compared to 29.83 when not leading the side.
In Tests where Bangladesh emerged victorious, his average was 37.16.
Earlier this month, the Bangladesh Cricket Board had also replaced Shanto as ODI captain and appointed Mehidy Hasan as his successor.
Shanto clarified that his decision was not a reaction to recent defeats or any disappointment, and urged the fans and media not to interpret it as an emotional move.
“I want people to understand that this was a rational, team-first decision, not something driven by frustration,” he added.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board is yet to announce a new Test captain.
