Najmul Hossain Shanto Likely to Step Down as Bangladesh Test Captain After Sri Lanka Series

Bangladesh Test captain Najmul Hossain Shanto is reportedly set to step down from his leadership role after the ongoing two-match Test series against Sri Lanka.

According to a report by Cricbuzz, sources close to the development confirmed on Saturday that the left-handed batter is likely to inform the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) of his decision soon. While his batting form remains strong — as shown by his twin centuries in the Galle Test — Shanto is said to be deeply hurt by the way he was removed from ODI captaincy without any prior discussion.

It is still unclear whether Najmul Hossain Shanto will make an official announcement after the second Test in Colombo or later. However, the matter is expected to be discussed further once he formally informs the board of his decision.

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The sudden change happened while Shanto was speaking to the media about the Sri Lanka tour. During the press conference, he spoke in detail about his goals and responsibilities as the ODI captain. But just as he was wrapping up, he was informed that Mehidy Hasan Miraz had been named the new ODI captain.

Shanto was reportedly upset that the board did not speak to him beforehand. There were concerns that this might affect his performance, but he responded in the best possible way by scoring two centuries in the first Test, ending all doubts.

Still, people close to Shanto say the decision has affected him emotionally. “I think he will not continue as Test captain after the series against Sri Lanka,” a source told the media. “I have known him for a long time, and I can say he is not happy with how things are going.”

Najmul, who was appointed Test captain for one year, is believed to have discussed the matter with close friends before deciding.

His dissatisfaction reportedly comes from the way the ODI captaincy was taken away from him without warning. Earlier, Shanto had voluntarily stepped down as T20I captain to focus on his batting, while saying he wanted to continue leading the Test and ODI teams.

🚨 Meanwhile Daily Sun dropped this ⤵️

Najmul Hossain Shanto was considering leaving the Test captaincy as well, when he was shockingly removed from ODI captaincy ⚠️

As of now, the chances of him stepping down from Test captaincy after the Sri Lanka series are high.#SLvBAN pic.twitter.com/4yqpYDWiC4

— Cricketangon (@cricketangon) June 23, 2025

However, the board's decision to remove him as ODI captain and appoint Mehidy Hasan Miraz came as a surprise, especially since it was made during an emergency Zoom meeting on June 12, instead of following the usual process of discussing such matters in formal board meetings.

Shanto was earlier given leadership in all three formats under former BCB President Nazmul Hassan Papon. But his role started to change after the new board took over. He stepped down from the T20 captaincy under Faruque Ahmed’s leadership, and now, under Aminul Islam Bulbul, he has also lost the ODI captaincy to Mehidy Hasan Miraz.