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In a significant development for Bangladesh cricket, Najmul Hossain Shanto has officially resigned as captain of the national team in the T20I format. This decision comes after a period of reflection and challenges faced during his mandate, marking a crucial moment in the leadership dynamics of Bangladesh cricket.
Najmul Hossain Shanto resigns as Bangladesh T20I captain
Shanto’s decision to relinquish the captaincy was influenced by his desire to focus more on his performance as a player. Initially, he had planned to resign only after the T20 World Cup 2024that took place in the West Indies and the USA. However, after conversations with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and his own assessment of the team’s needs, he chose to step down from his leadership role in all formats. This change was confirmed in an interview with Cricbuzz by the BCB president. Ahmed Faruquewho noted that Shanto had clearly communicated his intentions, leading to the board accepting his decision.
“Shanto finally told us that he will not lead the T20Is and we accepted that, but as we do not have T20Is at the moment, we have time on our hands and that is why we will not choose a new captain.” Ahmad said.
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Shanto’s performance as skipper
During his captaincy, Shanto’s record was mixed. He led Bangladesh in 24 T20I matches, achieving 10 wins. In ODIs, he achieved four wins in 11 matches and managed to win three out of ten Tests. Notably, his leadership enabled Bangladesh to achieve a historic home victory against New Zealand in 2023 and two away wins against Pakistan. However, despite these achievements, Shanto’s batting performance suffered significantly during his captaincy. By resigning, he aims to redirect his focus towards improving his batting form, which has been disappointing of late.
New leadership dynamic in Bangladesh cricket
With Shanto’s resignation, discussions about his replacement have gained momentum. Litton Das has become one of the favorites for the T20I captaincy due to his successful leadership during the recent series, including a clean sweep against the West Indies. The BCB are expected to announce a new captain soon, although they have indicated that there is no immediate rush as there are no upcoming T20I matches on the calendar.
However, Shanto will lead Bangladesh in the coming ICC Champions Trophy 2025. There were rumors suggesting that Mehidy Hasan Miraz he could take over as captain after being named stand-in captain for the Test and ODI series during the West Indies tour, where the regular captain was left out due to injury.
“If there are no injury problems, Najmul will continue to be the captain in Tests and ODIs and we have discussed it.” Ahmed added.
A glimpse into the future of Shanto
Despite stepping down from the T20I captaincy, Shanto is likely to return as captain for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign. Bangladesh have been placed in Group A alongside formidable opponents like India and Pakistan. The team’s first match will be against India in Dubai on February 20, 2025. As Shanto prepares for this challenge, it remains to be seen how he will balance his responsibilities as a player and a leader.
