Shakib new Test captain

World-famed all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has been made Test captain of Bangladesh National Cricket team replacing long-serving wicketkeeper batsman Mushfiqur Rahim.

Bangladesh T20 captain Shakib will lead the Bangladesh team in the upcoming Sri Lanka tour in his first assignment in the new role. Former national vice-captain cum another all-rounder Mahmudullah Riyad was made vice-captain of the Test team.

However, the BCB has not yet named the new coach following the resignation of Chandika Hathurusingha.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the BCB Board of Directors held at Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

Earlier in the last tour to Sri Lanka in March last, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza lost the T20 captaincy to Shakib.

From now on, Shakib will lead both the Test and T20 team while Mashrafe will lead the ODI side only.

‘We can’t really tell you the exact reason but we felt that Mushfiqur [Rahim] needs to focus on his batting and remain pressure-free,’ BCB president Nazmul Hassan said after the meeting.

Bangladesh’s last assignment was their abysmal tour of South Africa where they were whitewashed in all three formats. Under Mushfiqur, they lost the two Tests by massive margins — 333 runs in Potchefstroom and an innings and 254 runs in Bloemfontein.

Shakib has led Bangladesh in nine Tests in the past. His first Test as captain was against West Indies in 2009 before leading the side for seven more matches in the first half of 2010, and one more Test in August 2011 against Zimbabwe. Bangladesh won only one of those matches — against West Indies in 2009 — and lost the rest eight.

Source: ntvbd