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In preparation for the upcoming two-match Test series against New Zealand, Najmul Hossain Shanto was named captain of the Bangladesh cricket team on November 18. The series is scheduled to begin on November 28 in Sylhet.
Litton Das, who led Bangladesh in a single Test match against Afghanistan in June, is currently on a one-month paternity leave.
The team’s regular captain Shakib Al Hasan is unavailable for the series due to an injury sustained during the World Cup in India.
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"Litton has been granted leave for one month, he is not available for the two Tests. He wants to spend time with his new-born baby," Jalal Yunus, chairman of the BCB's cricket operations committee, told reporters here.
"We had requested him to play at least the second Test match but he insisted on (being away for) the whole series. That's why we granted him leave. As a result, Shanto will captain the side in these two Tests."
Assuming the mantle of Bangladesh's cricket team captaincy for the first time in Test cricket, the 25-year-old Shanto embarks on a new leadership role. With 23 Tests under his belt, Shanto boasts a batting average of 29.83 and has scored four centuries.
While he lacks prior Test captaincy experience, he has led the team in three ODIs. Notably, he took charge twice during the 2023 ODI World Cup when Shakib was sidelined due to injury and led the team in matches against India and Australia.
Shakib's immediate future in international cricket, including his role as captain for the ODI series in New Zealand in December, remains uncertain. His finger injury is a factor, and his previous comments about retirement plans during a pre-World Cup interview add to the ambiguity. Yunus said that the BCB has not received any formal confirmation from Shakib regarding his intention to step down as captain after the World Cup.
Regarding Tamim Iqbal, who missed the World Cup under controversial circumstances, Yunus indicated that the BCB will meet with the player on November 22. Tamim has been sidelined since the ODI series against New Zealand in September.
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