Bangladesh Cricket Board Appoints Najmul Hossain Shanto as Permanent Captain Across Formats

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has made a significant announcement following their ninth Board of Directors Meeting held on Monday, appointing 25-year-old Najmul Hossain Shanto as the permanent captain for all three formats of the men's team. Alongside this decision, the board has also undergone changes in its selection panel, with former captain Gazi Ashraf Hossain named as the chief selector and former international cricketer Hannan Sarkar joining as a selector, replacing Minhajul Abedin and Habibul Bashar, respectively.

Shanto's elevation to captaincy comes on the heels of his commendable leadership stint against New Zealand towards the end of 2023. Stepping in for the absence of regular skipper Shakib Al Hasan and other senior players, Shanto led the team admirably, notably securing Bangladesh's first-ever ODI victory over New Zealand despite losing the series 2-1, and drawing the T20I series 1-1. Prior to this, he also guided the team to a historic Test series draw at home. Despite a mixed record of three wins and seven losses in internationals under his captaincy, Shanto's proactive and composed leadership during the New Zealand tour earned him praise from both fans and experts.

Chandika Hathurusinghe, Bangladesh's head coach, lauded Shanto's leadership qualities and the team's competitive spirit under his guidance following the New Zealand tour.

"The attitude of the players, this young group had no fear. They wanted to compete in the middle," Hathurusingha said after the final T20I. "The other thing… the leadership of Shanto. Outstanding. He was tactically spot on, and very clear with the messages with the players, what he expects from them. And I thought we did the basics longer than before."

"I think they [the Bangladesh selectors] will strongly think about that (on making him the permanent captain)," Hathurusingha said. "Of course, it's a board decision, but Shanto has shown enough evidence for them to take him seriously."

Shanto's first assignment as the permanent captain will be the upcoming three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka, commencing on March 4th. With the backing of the board and the support of his teammates, Shanto is poised to lead Bangladesh cricket into a new era, aiming to achieve greater success on the international stage.