Since the ODI World Cup in India, the Bangladesh Cricket Board has been unsure about Shakib Al Hasan’s availability to skipper the team.
Although Shakib is still the captain for all three forms, he had said before to the World Cup that he would not be the captain of the ODI team one day after the competition.
During Bangladesh’s following white-ball tour of New Zealand, as well as the drawn Test series played at home against New Zealand, Najmul Hossain Shanto demonstrated his worth as a captain.
Chairman of cricket operations Jalal Yunus reiterated that Shakib is still the captain, but that a decision would be made after consulting with the board and team management.
“We haven’t given the leadership any thought yet. We’ll discuss this over a meal with the team management. We’ll act in the team’s best interests. Therefore, I don’t want to speak on captaincy for now,” Jalal said to the press today.
Shakib had earlier said that he and the board will be having a meeting to talk about future plans. Shakib and BCB president Nazmul Hassan Papon have not yet had a meeting due to election-related obligations. Shanto has performed well in Shakib’s place, Jalal agreed. “Shanto has done will, that much has to be acknowledged. Regarding Shanto, Jalal said, “I think it will be a good long-term option, but everything depends on the planning.”
Coach appointments are scheduled to be on the agenda in addition to captaincy. The arrival of head coach Chandika Hathurusingha is scheduled on January 20th, and some choices are contingent upon specific meetings.
We’ll talk about our next course of action when the coach gets here. We will discuss these issues later, the board and the team management are there as well,” Jalal said.
Shakib, who saw the Rangpur Riders practice today, also spoke about leadership. “With the board, we will be discussing [captaincy], as we have not yet done. Following that, a decision that everyone agrees upon will be made,” Shakib said.
It is acknowledged that BCB’s desired course for the captaincy will be revealed at a next board meeting. “The date of the board meeting is unknown to us. According to my estimation, that may happen by the end of January,” Jalal told reporters today.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is also thinking of postponing one of the Test matches that they have scheduled with Zimbabwe for their next home series.
Bangladesh’s August schedule for home matches against Zimbabwe includes two Tests and five Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is), under the ICC’s Future Tours Program (FTP) calendar.
Reducing the number of Tests against Zimbabwe is something that the BCB is in favor of, since the T20I World Cup is scheduled for June of this year.
“We have not yet decided [on lowering the number of Tests], and the five T20Is are crucial. Reduced Test matches would be ideal, after which they could be moved. In an unofficial sense, we might claim that we’re trying. Later on, we can update you on the formal decision. We have not yet signed the itinerary agreement with Zimbabwe. It’s challenging to state at this time for that reason. Since the Zimbabwe series comes before the Sri Lanka series, we still have time,” Jalal said in reference to the matter.