Test captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said on Monday that he chose the country over personal views before agreeing to lead Bangladesh until the end of the ICC Test Championship cycle, following his fallout with the BCB in July.
“I wasn’t captain for a few days in the middle of my tenure, but I enjoyed that time,” Shanto said ahead of the Sylhet Test against Ireland. “At one point, I felt Bangladesh cricket was bigger than me. The needs of the team come first, so I returned to this decision.”
Shanto was removed from the ODI captaincy in July, with Mehidy Hasan Miraz taking charge as part of BCB’s three-format, three-captain plan. He stepped down from the Test role after the Colombo Test in Sri Lanka.
Ahead of Ireland’s tour, the BCB reappointed him after discussions with senior officials. “There were healthy conversations about potential problems, how to solve them, and how to prevent them. The other two captains and I are clear on roles, and I am confident the board will provide full support,” he said.
Shanto also moved past his earlier concerns about the three-captain system, “All three of us are optimistic that we can take the team forward in the way the team needs. There is no communication gap here. I am convinced that the Cricket Board will provide the support I had in mind regarding concerns about the three-format system”, Shanto said.
“When senior or former cricketers of the Cricket Board give suggestions, they definitely mean well. Trusting that, I have returned, and I feel that something good will happen in the future,” he concluded.
