Test captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said on Monday that he is keen to embrace the challenge posed by a busy Test schedule in 2026, reports the Daily Sun.
On 2026, Bangladesh are set to play at least 12 Test matches, including tours of Australia and South Africa.
When asked to summarise his year as Test captain in 2025— a season in which Bangladesh played six Test matches, winning three, drawing one and losing one— Shanto reflected positively on the team’s overall performance.
“I think this year has gone well,” Shanto said while promoting the Cricketers Welfare Association of Bangladesh’s (CWAB) All-Stars match to commemorate Victory Day in Bangladesh on December 16. “Alhamdulillah, if you look at it, it hasn’t been too bad,” he added.
“But yes, in the second Test match in Sri Lanka we could have played a bit better cricket. I definitely feel that the team we have now should have played better cricket,” he said.
Looking ahead, Shanto said he is eager to rise to the challenge while enjoying the packed schedule. “That said, there are a lot of matches next year. We always hope to play many matches, especially many Test matches. So, the hectic schedule you mentioned — I don’t really want to think about it,” he said.
“Because we want more and more Test matches, in fact more matches in every format. So having playing opportunities is a joyful thing. Planning has gradually started, and I think after the BPL ends we will move forward with a much clearer plan,” he added.
Bd-Pratidin English/ AM
