Bangladesh Test Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto to Step Down After South Africa Series

Bangladesh's Test captain Najmul Hossain Shanto is set to relinquish his leadership role after the ongoing home series against South Africa. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had appointed Shanto as captain across all formats in February 2023, with the intention of him leading the team in the 2025 Champions Trophy. However, Shanto has informed the board of his decision to step down and is awaiting approval from BCB president Nazmul Hassan Papon.

"Yes, he informed us that he is not ready to lead the side after the South Africa series," a top BCB official told Cricbuzz.

Shanto confirmed his decision, stating, "Let's see what happens (as far as leading Bangladesh is concerned) because I am still waiting to hear it from the president (BCB)."

A senior BCB director is reportedly attempting to persuade Shanto to reconsider, but a reversal appears unlikely. Shanto had initially planned to step down as T20 captain after the 2024 T20 World Cup but later decided to quit as captain across all formats.

Shanto's leadership has come under scrutiny due to a prolonged period of poor results. If he ultimately declines to continue as captain, the BCB may consider appointing Mehidy Hasan as captain for Tests and ODIs, with Towhid Hridoy likely to lead in T20s.

During his tenure, Shanto led Bangladesh in nine Tests, winning three and losing six, including a historic series win over Pakistan. In ODIs, he captained in nine matches with three wins and six losses. In T20Is, he led the team in 24 games, securing 10 victories.

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