Shakib to lead Test team in West Indies
MOMINUL QUITS AS BANGLADESH CAPTAIN TO FOCUS ON BATTING FORM
BANGLADESH all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan is to return as the team’s Test captain, replacing Mominul Haque, the country’s cricket board (BCB) announced last Thursday (2).
Shakib, who is Bangladesh’s highest wicket-taker in the longest format and the third-highest runscorer, previously captained the team in 14 Tests.
The 35-year-old’s appointment comes after outof-form Mominul stepped down as skipper in the wake of their home series loss against Sri Lanka.
The BCB said Shakib will lead the team in their two-Test series in the West Indies, with wicketkeeper batsman Litton Das named his deputy. The first Test begins in North Sound next Thursday (16).
Mominul said he was stepping down from his position last Tuesday (31) to focus on his batting, after a poor run of form so far this year.
The 30-year-old announced his decision during a meeting with BCB chiefs at the home of board president Nazmul Hassan.
His batting has come under heavy criticism after the country’s Test series loss to Sri Lanka last month. There had been calls for his resignation ahead of the tour of the West Indies.
“I just told them I am unable to contribute to the side as a captain and failed to motivate the team. So I feel it is better if someone else is given the responsibility,” Mominul said after the meeting.
“I feel that if I can concentrate on my batting it will be good for me as well as for the team.”
Mominul has scored just one half-century and accumulated 162 runs in six Test matches in 2022.
His form deserted him after an innings of 88 in Bangladesh’s shock eight-wicket win over New Zealand at Mount Maunganui in January.
He scored just 11 runs in three innings in the recent series against Sri Lanka, which Bangladesh lost 0-1.
He said Hassan requested him to carry on as captain during the meeting, but that he expressed his reluctance to do so.
Mominul’s mentor and coach, Nazmul Abedin Fahim, told reporters that the captaincy had “affected his batting to a certain extent”.
“So, I think he should get rid of this load to return to form as a batsman,” he added.
Mominul has scored 3,525 runs in 53 Tests so far, with 11 centuries – the highest by any Bangladeshi batsman.
The BCB appointed Mominul as Test captain for the West Indies tour. He took over from Shakib in November 2019 after the latter was banned by the International Cricket Council for his failure to report corrupt approaches.
“Mominul was given the captaincy at a crisis moment. We have to give him some respect. If he decides to quit, we will look for a replacement,” cricket operations chief Jalal Yunus said.
The team, which left for the West Indies last Sunday (5), will also play three Twenty20 internationals and three ODIs during the tour.