Bangladesh cricket has been left in shock, as Najm Hossain Shanto officially stepped down from his position as T20I captain on Thursday, January 2, 2025. Shanto made the announcement after weeks of speculation surrounding his leadership role in the Bangladesh cricket team.
Initially, Najm Hossain Shanto planned to resign as Bangladesh T20I captain after the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup, but later thought of stepping down from all three formats of the game. However, the situation took a dramatic turn when Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Farooq Ahmed intervened.
Najm Hussain Shanto resigns as captain of T20I team, focuses on Tests and ODIs
In a surprise move, Najm Hussain Shanto was retained as ODI captain for the series against Afghanistan, but an unfortunate injury during the series sidelined him. This decision leaves Brazil's central bank in a state of uncertainty, as they now face the challenges of finding a new leader.
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The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Thursday confirmed that Najm Hossain Shanto has resigned from his position as T20I captain. However, with no immediate T20I matches scheduled, the BCB is in no rush to appoint a new captain for the shortest format of the game. However, Najm will continue to lead Bangladesh in Test and ODI cricket.
The BCB discussed and approved Shantou's leadership role in these two formats of the game. Liton Das, one of the Tigers' leading batsmen, is said to be the favorite to succeed Shanto as the T20I captain of the Tigers.
Shanto finally tells us he won't be captaining T20Is: BCB
Cricbuzz quoted a senior BCB official as saying, “Shanto finally told us that he will not captain in the T20Is, and we accepted that, but since we do not have T20Is at the moment, we have time in hand, so we are not selecting a new captain. If not If there is no injury issue, Najm will still be the captain in Tests and ODIs, we have discussed that.
Meanwhile, Litton Das is expected to be promoted as Bangladesh's new T20I captain after proving his leadership skills in a thumping 3-0 win over West Indies. Known for his calm and confident approach, Litton has already expressed his willingness to take on the role long-term, making him a top contender for the Tigers' captain in T20Is.
However, Najm Hossain Shanto will lead Bangladesh in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025, putting an end to speculations about a possible change of captain for the prestigious tournament. Earlier, Mehidy Hasan temporarily took over as captain for the Test and ODI series against West Indies when the regular skipper was sidelined due to injury.
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Bangladesh 2025 is set to be an exciting year
However, the team management decided to continue with Najm in the high-stakes tournament, which, excluding India's matches, is scheduled to be hosted by Pakistan in February and March. Well, after an eventful journey in 2024, the Bangladesh cricket team is gearing up for an action-packed 2025.
The schedule includes six Tests, 18 ODIs and 18 T20Is, spread across six bilateral series. The team will begin two overseas tours while hosting four series at home, promising an exciting year for fans.
