Taijul Islam Eyes Test Captaincy, Says Experience Shouldn’t Be a Barrier

Bangladesh’s leading left-arm spinner, Taijul Islam, has shown interest in becoming the Test captain. He said that if he is offered the role, he is ready to take the responsibility. After Najmul Hossain Shanto stepped down from the role following his dispute with the board—after being removed as ODI captain—many names have been discussed to fill the gap left by the country’s most successful Test captain.

Taijul Islam Opens Up About Test Captaincy Dream

Bangladesh left-arm spinner Taijul Islam has quietly become one of the most consistent performers in the post-“Fab Five” era. While he may not grab headlines like some of his teammates, Taijul has been a key player in the national Test team. Even though he is often ignored in white-ball formats, he remains an important part of Bangladesh’s red-ball setup.

Still, despite his steady performances, Taijul is often seen as “underrated.” Now, at 33, he has shared a personal goal—to one day lead Bangladesh in Test cricket.

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"If Given the Chance, Why Not?"

In a recent interview with Cricbuzz, Taijul spoke about his dream of becoming Test captain. He dismissed the idea that a player must have past leadership experience to lead the national side.

“I think it is important to give space to the captain and value his words, because the team will do well when we trust the captain,” Taijul said. “Just because I haven’t been captain before doesn’t mean I can’t do it. I don’t think there’s anything I can’t do if it’s needed to lead the side. It’s not like I’m greedy for the captaincy.”

Taijul has never led a side at the domestic or national level, but he believes that vision and trust are more important than past roles. “It’s not about whether captaincy is attractive or not. A captain needs to have a plan for where he wants to take the team. You need to know what kind of team you want and have a goal of where you want to see them in two years. If the opportunity comes, why not?” he added.

Experience, Growth, and the Art of Spin

Taijul believes his recent form is a result of maturity and experience, especially in foreign conditions.

“There are many factors,” he said. “Age plays a role. With age, you can pitch the ball exactly where you want. Experience is also important. Before 2021, I didn’t play many Tests overseas.”

He stressed the value of patience in developing players. “This experience matters—how many Tests I’ve played overseas and on different pitches. When the experience is full, the performance improves. It’s hard for a newcomer to debut and perform right away. You have to give players time. Alhamdulillah, I got time and improved step by step.”

Speaking about spin, he explained, “Pace variation is important. If you bowl one slower and one faster, it confuses the batter. Also, if you bowl two balls at the same speed—one that turns and one that goes straight—it becomes very hard for the batter. The world’s best spinners do this. A quick ball usually goes straight, but the same ball, if bowled slower, can turn in or out. That makes it very difficult for the batter.”