- June 7, 2025
As a true-blue Bangladesh cricket lover, you have been along for the ride of all of the ups and downs of our Test team with their triumphs and failures. Our dear Najmul Hossain Shanto has been right in the thick of it all. The cool and calm top-order batter has been re-appointed for another year to captain the Test team. The new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle has started, and our two-Test series against Sri Lanka is coming up, which Shanto will again lead. But what does that mean for the team, and was that the right call? Let’s dive in.
Shanto’s Steady Rise: A Leadership Bet Worth Making?
After Shanto took on the Test captaincy for the first time in 2024, there was a mixed bag of reactions. Several people questioned whether somebody who was still finding his feet could handle leading a team, and individuals within the most uncompromising and hardest format of the game, Test cricket. A year on from being appointed the captain, it is plain to see he has shown enough maturity to satisfy the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and made them see he is a worthy investment long-term.
What sets Shanto apart is not only his batting style and temperament, but it his ability to keep a calm head when the team is under pressure. The basis of Test cricket is being able to deal with the pressure, and Shanto has taken on this lesson. He might not be the liveliest leader, but one wonders whether, as the captain of Bangladesh at this point, he needs to be someone who is asking for calmness rather than craziness.
And don’t forget, it has been said that there is a much better ambiance in the dressing room under his captaincy, as opposed to when he took over. Other players, including vice-captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz, have come out to say that everyone supports Shanto in his preferred way to captain the team. The team culture may be a huge advantage going into a new WTC cycle.
The Squad Mix: Fresh Faces and Familiar Comebacks
So, while the squad can consist of 16 members for the Sri Lanka tour, it looks like a very carefully curated cocktail of experience, returning experience, and newer experience.
Litton Das is back after an injury, and it’s going to be huge. Just having him behind stumps and in the middle gives you quality and composure. When he’s fit, he gives you real pace – and Bangladesh will need that, especially because the Sri Lankan pitches are probably going to be perplexing to seamers (especially after trying new lines) but could offer great reward.
A Defining Series in More Ways Than One
This series against Sri Lanka is more than just two Tests — it’s about establishing momentum heading into the 2025–2027 WTC cycle. Bangladesh is looking for a strong start, and Sri Lanka provides a chance to accomplish that. The conditions are seen as a combination of challenge and opportunity. The pitches in Galle and Colombo will likely be slow, turning surfaces, which could be good for us if the bowling unit performs well.
But more than conditions, the series is also about leadership validation. Can Shanto persuade confidence in away conditions? Can he manage squad rotation dynamics while also anchoring the top order with the bat? Those will not only be the questions answered based on the results of the matches, but also on how his team plays under his leadership.
So, what do you think — is Shanto the steady hand we’ve been waiting for, or will this be yet another chapter in Bangladesh’s trial-by-error captaincy story? Let’s discuss in the comments below — after all, this Test season is still warming up.
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