Putting all speculations to rest, Najmul Hossain will continue as captain of Bangladesh for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Afghanistan.
Despite previously stating that he was not ready to lead the team anymore, the left-handed batter has been convinced to take on the role after discussions with BCB president Faruque Ahmed.
While Najmul remains in charge for the ODIs, it is understood that leadership changes are planned for the other formats.
Mehidy Hasan will captain the Test team, and the T20I squad will be led by either Taskin Ahmed or Towhid Hridoy.
In the squad selections, uncapped pacer Nahid Rana has earned a call-up for the ODI series, while Litton Kumar Das misses out due to ongoing recovery from illness.
Another notable absentee is pacer Tanzim Shakib, who has not fully recovered from a shoulder injury.
Additionally, Anamul Haque, Taijul Islam, and Hasan Mahmud were not included, while Zakir Hasan and Nasum Ahmed make their returns to the squad.
Shakib Al Hasan, however, has not been picked for the series.
Squad:
| Player Name |
|---|
| Soumya Sarkar |
| Tanzid Hasan Tamim |
| Zakir Hasan |
| Nazmul Hossain Shanto (Captain) |
| Mushfiqur Rahim |
| Mahmudullah Riyad |
| Tawhid Hridoy |
| Jaker Ali Anik |
| Mehidy Hassan Miraz (Vice Captain) |
| Rishad Hossain |
| Nasum Ahmed |
| Taskin Ahmed |
| Mustafizur Rahman |
| Shoriful Islam |
| Nahid Rana |
BCB president Faruque Ahmed had previously announced that Shakib Al Hasan was available for the ODIs against Afghanistan.
However, he later clarified that the all-rounder felt he wasn’t ready to take on the demands of international cricket at the moment.
Shakib had initially intended to retire from Test cricket during the ongoing home series against South Africa in Mirpur but ultimately refrained from returning home due to security concerns.
“When he (Shakib) couldn’t play the last Test against South Africa, he was disappointed,” Faruque said in Chattogram on Thursday.
“What I feel is that when he couldn’t play, he became disheartened, and didn’t practice as much.
He is a very professional player, and he felt that because he wasn’t training, it would not be wise for him or the country for him to play in this series against Afghanistan.”
Faruque also mentioned that Shakib was looking to regain his form and was considering playing in a T10 league in the UAE, which does not conflict with any international tournaments.
“We have yet to give him an NOC, but if we do, he will play in the UAE T10 league.
After that, he will evaluate whether he can make a comeback to international cricket,” he added.
The decision for Shakib to sit out the Afghanistan series was based on his mental state, as Faruque explained.
“The decision came from Shakib himself.
He is mentally going through a phase, and it’s very normal for players to face mental challenges in this game.
Unless you are a player, it’s difficult to understand what they go through.”
Despite the setback, Faruque expressed belief that Shakib still has a future with the Bangladesh team, especially with key tournaments ahead.
“I still believe Shakib can play for Bangladesh in ODIs, with important series coming up, like the West Indies tour and the Champions Trophy.
Considering everything, I feel he will miss this tour to the UAE for the Afghanistan ODIs.”
The Bangladesh team is set to depart for Dubai in two groups on November 2 and 3, with the three-match ODI series against Afghanistan scheduled to be played at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on November 6, 9, and 11.
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