Shakib Al Hasan doesn’t have interest in Test cricket, says BCB chief Nazmul Hasan Papon

Bangladesh’s hefty 224-run loss at the hands of Afghanistan has created a lot of ruckus in the country. The Tigers have been dominant at home, but the newbies didn’t allow the hosts to flourish. In the meantime, Shakib Al Hasan is seeming to enter into an altercation with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). Earlier this month, Shakib said that he isn’t mentally ready to lead in Tests and T20Is.

But the southpaw also understands the importance of his leadership since the national team isn’t in the greatest of shapes. Now, even after the one-off Test in Chattogram, the Jessore-born reiterated that it would be better if he didn’t have to lead. The comments haven’t gone down well with Nazmul Hasan Papon, the BCB chief, who said that Shakib doesn’t prefer playing the longest format.

If he is skipper, then he has to play: Papon

“We have noticed he did not have much interest in Test (cricket). You have seen that when we were touring foreign countries, he wanted to have a break during the Tests,” Papon was quoted as saying to the reporters in Dhaka late Wednesday. In September 2017, the 32-year-old Shakib indeed asked the board for a break from Test cricket.

Albeit Papon assumed that Shakib disliked Test cricket, he didn’t have any idea that Shakib wasn’t interested in captaining the Bangladesh side. “Naturally he might have less interest. But we never heard that he has less interest in captaincy. If he is skipper, then he has to play. If you are not skipper, then you can skip,” Papon stated.

Papon also said that he spoke to Shakib, but the latter didn’t raise any concerns. “Our boys are emotional. I will speak with him when things get calm,” he added. In the near future, Bangladesh are also likely to face the conundrum of ODI captaincy since Mashrafe Mortaza is at the fag end of his career.

Shakib is now set to captain Bangladesh in the T20I tri-nation series at home, also including Afghanistan and Zimbabwe. Three league matches each will be played at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka and the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram. The final is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, September 24 in Dhaka itself.

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