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3 Players Who Can Replace Najmul Shanto As Bangladesh Test Captain Post Resignation

Abhinav Tyagi

Najmul Shanto In Press - (Source :@BanglaTimes/X.com)Najmul Shanto In Press - (Source :@BanglaTimes/X.com)

On Saturday, June 28, Bangladesh cricket suffered a heavy blow as Najmul Shanto stepped down as Test captain. The 26-year-old made this decision following a series of defeats against Sri Lanka.

The Tigers faced heavy criticism after losing the second Test by an innings, resulting in a 0-1 series defeat. Shanto took over from Shakib Al Hasan in 2023 and led Bangladesh in 14 Tests.

Despite some highs, such as beating Pakistan in Pakistan, success in the World Test Championship (WTC) remains a top priority. While the exact reasons behind Shanto’s resignation are unclear, all signs point to a string of poor results and the ongoing trend of appointing different captains for each format.

This article will highlight three players who could be named as Bangladesh’s new Test captain.

1. Mehidy Hasan Miraz

The 27-year-old is the most suitable option to succeed Najmul Shanto. The Bangladesh Test vice-captain was recently appointed as the new skipper in limited-overs formats, and his first assignment will be the upcoming ODI series against Sri Lanka.

The BCB views Miraz as a candidate for leadership roles, so it is expected that the board will consider him for the Test captaincy as well. So far, Mehidy has led The Tigers in just two red-ball matches, maintaining a 50% win rate with one win and one defeat.

2. Litton Das

Litton Das is another strong candidate to replace Najmul Shanto. The 30-year-old has considerable leadership experience at various stages of his career. Notably, Das served as Shakib’s deputy from 2022 and had his first stint as captain in 2021 when he was made stand-in T20I skipper.

Currently, Das is Bangladesh’s T20I captain and would not be a bad choice for Test captaincy. He has also led The Tigers in just one red-ball match in 2023, which resulted in a win.

3. Mominul Haque

The issue for Bangladesh is that there are not many options for Test captaincy, and the BCB might have to turn to experienced players who have led the team in the past.

In such a scenario, two names stand out: Mushfiqur Rahim and Mominul Haque. Of the two, Haque has a better chance, as Rahim is 38—five years older than Haque, who is 33 and could lead Bangladesh through the ongoing WTC cycle.

Discussing his record as Bangladesh captain, the 33-year-old has led the team in 17 matches, but holds a poor record of just three wins and 12 defeats.