Najmul Hossain Shanto has resigned from his position as the Bangladesh Test captain, following the team's recent series loss to Sri Lanka. The announcement came after Bangladesh suffered an innings and 78-run defeat in the second Test in Colombo, conceding the two-match series 1-0.
Shanto took over the Test captaincy in November 2023, ahead of the home series against New Zealand. He led Bangladesh in 14 Test matches, achieving four wins, one draw, and nine losses. A significant achievement under his leadership was the series win against Pakistan in Pakistan in August 2024. The first Test against Sri Lanka, which ended in a draw, was the only draw as captain for Shanto.
During the post-match press conference, Shanto explained his decision, emphasizing that it was not a personal one but rather a decision made "for the betterment of the team". He stated that he believes his resignation will benefit the team. Shanto also expressed his view that having three different captains for the three international formats (Tests, ODIs, and T20Is) is not sensible. He communicated that he had informed the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) about his decision a few days prior.
Shanto clarified that his decision was not influenced by any disappointment over being replaced as the ODI captain by Mehidy Hasan Miraz earlier in June 2025. He reiterated that his choice was made with the team's best interests in mind. "I don't want to continue as captain in the Test format anymore... This is not personal... I have taken the decision for the betterment of the team. I think this will help the team," Shanto stated. He added, "I think three captains for the three international formats is not sensible".
Despite the Test team's struggles, Shanto's individual performance with the bat improved after he assumed the captaincy. His average as captain was 36.24, compared to 29.83 when he was not the captain. Recently, Shanto became the first Bangladeshi skipper to hit two centuries in the same Test, during the first Test of the series against Sri Lanka.
It remains to be seen who will succeed Shanto as the Test captain. Bangladesh will need to find a new leader to guide the team in future Test matches.
