After the Test series against Sri Lanka earlier this year, Najmul Hossain Shanto stepped down from the Test captaincy. Since then, Bangladesh has not played any Test matches, and therefore, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has not announced a new Test captain yet.
Next month, Bangladesh will play a home Test series against Ireland. Ahead of that, discussions have begun about who will lead the team in the longest format. Bangladesh’s ODI captain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, has expressed his interest in leading the Test side as well.
On Thursday (October 24), following the ODI series against the West Indies, Miraz attended a press conference where he said regarding the Test captaincy:
“It’s the board’s decision. Since I’m already leading in ODIs, if the board gives me the responsibility (of Test captaincy), I’ll take it.”
He added, “I believe that with time, we’ll become stronger. If we get proper support and time, better days are ahead.”
Speaking about the Test captaincy issue, BCB president Aminul Islam Bulbul said, “Our policy is to talk to a few players. The cricket operations department, selectors, and senior members of the coaching staff will discuss it. The one they find most suitable for the role must also be willing to take the responsibility. Then we’ll sit together and make the final decision.”
The BCB president also mentioned that they will talk to Miraz, Liton Das, and Shanto, saying, “We’ll talk to three or four players. It will depend on the potential captain’s willingness and the qualities he possesses. If he meets our benchmark, we’ll announce the next Test captain very soon.”
