BCB president Faruque to speak with Shanto regarding his future as Bangladesh captain

Najmul Hossain Shanto's sudden announcement to step down from captaincy came like a bolt from the blue.

It raises the question of whether this left-handed batter, who leads in all three formats, felt pressured after only eight months in the role. That question remains unanswered. Shanto had initially informed the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) of his intentions, but he has yet to speak with BCB President Faruque Ahmed regarding the matter.

The BCB President will arrive tonight to discuss the situation with Shanto. A few days ago, Shanto had spoken with a news outlet about stepping down, noting that he was awaiting the BCB President's decision. However, prior to the board meeting on Wednesday, Faruque informed the media that he had not yet discussed the matter with Shanto.

From Faruque's comments, it appears he was unaware of Shanto's captaincy decision. He also referenced discussions on social media, suggesting players should exercise greater caution. "I am not sure if Nazmul (Shanto) spoke to you about this... Social media content can sometimes influence them. Players need to be more mindful," he stated.

"Whatever they feel... rather than speaking outside the chain of command, they should approach Operations, the CEO, or the President. There are steps that could be taken. I hope players will be more aware. If any player feels unable to continue, it is a personal matter. If such a request arises, we can then discuss it," he added.

Faruque believes discussing the reasons behind a player's decision to step down is essential. He explained, "The easiest option is for someone to say, 'I don't want to do this, thank you,' and walk away. But going deeper—understanding why they don't want to continue, and whether there are underlying reasons—these are things we need to talk about."

Faruque intends to address these matters in Chattogram, planning discussions not only with Shanto but also with the coach and other team members. "I will have discussions. Since taking office, I have dealt with the BPL team selection and numerous other issues. So far, I've only had the chance to meet with the players once, with only 8-10 attending, mainly to discuss the BPL. I will go to Chattogram tonight and try to meet with the team, the coach, and everyone involved. We should have some outcome then."

Given the situation, it seems the BCB's current plan is to retain Shanto as captain. Asked if they would try to persuade him to continue, Faruque responded, "I won't know until I meet him. Decisions can't be based solely on media reports. If I sit with him, if he has any issues, if he feels unable to continue... I won't know any of this until we talk. At this moment, there has been no discussion with him."