Najmul Hossain Shanto steps down as Bangladesh Test captain

Najmul Hossain Shanto has stepped down as captain of Bangladesh’s Test team following a heavy defeat to Sri Lanka in the second Test of the two-match series, according to Bangladeshi media reports on Saturday.

Shanto's decision came after Bangladesh were beaten by an innings and 78 runs in the final match of the series. The loss led to Shanto stepping down from his leadership role.

Reports indicate that Shanto informed the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) of his resignation after the match. It’s understood that Shanto was no longer interested in continuing as Test captain, especially after losing the ODI captaincy earlier this year.

Shanto had led Bangladesh in 14 Tests since taking over the captaincy before the home series against New Zealand in November 2023. Under his leadership, Bangladesh won four Tests, including back-to-back victories over Pakistan in August 2024. However, they also lost nine matches during his tenure. The only draw came in the first Test of the recent Sri Lanka series.

As a captain, Shanto performed well with the bat, averaging 36.24 in Tests, compared to 29.83 when not leading the team. In the four Tests Bangladesh won under his captaincy, his batting average was a solid 37.16.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka clinched the series 1-0 with a dominant performance in the second Test. Bangladesh managed just 247 runs in their first innings, while Sri Lanka replied with a commanding total of 458, building a strong lead.

In their second innings, Bangladesh’s batting collapsed to just 133 runs, failing to make Sri Lanka bat again.

Sri Lanka’s bowlers put on a disciplined display, with left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya taking five wickets. Dhananjaya de Silva and Tharindu Ratnayake each took two wickets, and Asitha Fernando added one more.

Pathum Nissanka was named both Player of the Match and Player of the Series for his outstanding batting performances.

The two teams will now move on to the three-match ODI series, which starts on July 2 in Colombo. The second match will be played on July 5 at the same venue, with the final ODI scheduled for July 8 in Pallekele.