BCB’s cricket operations head Jalal Yunus said that Najmul Hossain Shanto will lead the Bangladesh team in the two-match Test series against New Zealand later this month at home. This is because a number of key players, including Liton Das, will not be able to play.
Regular captain Shakib Al Hasan can’t play because he hurt himself in the World Cup, and Bangladesh will also be missing pacer Taskin Ahmed because he hurt his shoulder again.
While this was going on, Liton Das asked for a month off to be with his wife and new baby.
The first Test starts on November 28 in Sylhet, and the second on December 6 in Dhaka.
Yunus told media in Mirpur on Saturday, “Najmul Hossain Shanto will be the captain for the two-match Test series against New Zealand.”
“Liton asked to take a month off.” So that he can spend all of his time with his family, he won’t play in the two Tests. Our plan was for him to play one Test, but he insisted on taking a month off. Therefore, we agreed to let him go.
Nobody has to play for the national team if they don’t want to. He must be genuinely skilled,” Yunus said.
The BCB official also said that they would check on Shakib’s injury and talk to him later to decide if the all-rounder will lead the team in the December white-ball away series against New Zealand.