Najmul Hossain Shanto has stepped down as the captain of Bangladesh`s Test team following their innings-and-78-run defeat to Sri Lanka, which sealed a 1-0 series loss.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Shanto confirmed his decision, citing the move as one made "for the betterment of the team."
"I don`t want to continue
in the Test format anymore," Shanto told reporters. "This is not a personal decision. I believe this will benefit the team. Having three different captains across formats isn’t a practical approach. While I don`t know how the board will respond, I’ll respect their decision. But this is something I’ve decided on my own."Shanto clarified that his resignation should not be viewed as an emotional reaction or out of disappointment. "I want to make it clear—this is not an emotional response to the result. It’s a decision made for the team`s long-term interest," he said.
The 25-year-old also revealed that he had already informed the Bangladesh Cricket Board`s (BCB) cricket operations department of his intention "some days back." His announcement follows his removal from the ODI captaincy earlier this month, with Mehidy Hasan Miraz taking over that role.
Shanto`s stint as Test captain began ahead of the home series against New Zealand in November 2023. Over 14 matches under his leadership, Bangladesh won four and lost nine, with one draw in the recently concluded Sri Lanka series. His captaincy tenure included a historic two-Test win in Pakistan in August 2024.
Despite the mixed team results, Shanto’s individual performance with the bat was steady during his captaincy. He averaged 36.24 as captain—noticeably better than his 29.83 average in Tests when not leading the side. In Bangladesh’s four Test wins under his leadership, he scored at an average of 37.16.
As the BCB considers its next steps, Shanto`s departure adds to the leadership reshuffle in Bangladesh cricket, with different captains now leading in ODIs and T20Is. It remains to be seen whether the board will continue with a multi-captain strategy or return to a unified leadership model.
