Although no official announcement has been made, it’s believed that Najmul is unhappy with how recent events have unfolded — especially his removal as ODI captain.
Shanto Frustrated After Being Replaced as ODI Captain
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) shocked many by replacing Najmul with Mehidy Hasan Miraz as ODI captain during an emergency Zoom meeting on June 12. This came despite Najmul telling the board that, while he was ready to give up the T20I captaincy to focus on batting, he still wanted to lead in Tests and ODIs.
A source close to Najmul revealed, “I think he will not continue as Test captain after the Test series against Sri Lanka. I’ve known him for a long time, and as far as I understand, he’s not happy with how things have been going.”
Najmul had initially been convinced by former BCB president Faruque Ahmed to stay on as both Test and ODI captain. However, the abrupt decision to appoint Mehidy as ODI captain — reportedly made without following the usual board procedures — left him deeply disappointed.
The 26-year-old was reportedly informed about the change just moments before a scheduled meeting with head coach Phil Simmons, who was kept waiting while Najmul was called in by BCB cricket operations chairman Nazmul Abedin. This last-minute shift added to Najmul’s frustration, especially as he had already started planning strategies and preparations with teammates for the upcoming ODI series.
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BCB Defends Its Decision
Despite the controversy, BCB president Aminul Islam downplayed any tension within the team. In an interview on June 21, he said, “Coming to Shanto’s point, his captaincy was not taken away. The decision was made with the agreement of the board. We wanted a new approach with three different captains across formats, as we have a very packed schedule coming up.”
Shanto’s Record as Bangladesh Captain
So far, Najmul Hossain Shanto has captained Bangladesh in 13 Test matches, scoring 879 runs. Under his leadership, the team has won four Tests, lost eight, and drawn one — the recent match against Sri Lanka. In ODIs, he has led the team in 13 matches, registering four wins and nine losses.
