Mominul Haque met with BCB president Nazmul Hasan Papon last week to inform him of his decision to step down as Test captain. The left-handed batsman was hesitant to remain as Bangladesh's Test captain despite the BCB chief's requests. With only one week until the West Indies tour, the BCB had to move fast to appoint a new Test captain. The BCB named Shakib as the new Test captain on Thursday (June 2) following a meeting with the ace all-rounder. Litton was also promoted to vice-captain. Shakib was a successful Test skipper for Bangladesh in the past. Shakib Al Hasan’s performance as Test captain is discussed in this article.
Shakib Al Hasan’s Test Cricket Career as Captain
Shakib made his Test debut against India in 2007, and two years later, in the second Test against the West Indies, he led Bangladesh for the first time in the absence of Mashrafe Mortaza, who was injured. The Shakib-led side triumphed by four wickets and sealed the series 2-0. After that, Shakib went on to captain Bangladesh for seven more games before Mushfiqur Rahim took over. In 2018, the ace all-rounder returned to lead Bangladesh and remained captain until 2019. He was released from the role following a one-year ban by the ICC in late October 2019.
Read Litton Das Reaches 12, Highest Ever Test Ranking in Career
Shakib Al Hasan has captained Bangladesh in 14 matches so far, and the team has won three and lost eleven. All of his victories as captain have come against the West Indies, two at home and one away. Interestingly, Shakib Al Hasan will captain Bangladesh again against West Indies, like he did the previous two times.
Country-wise, Shakib Al Hasan’s Test Captaincy Record
|
Team |
Matches |
Won |
Lost |
|
West Indies |
5 |
3 |
2 |
|
Afghanistan |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
England |
4 |
0 |
4 |
|
India |
2 |
0 |
2 |
|
New Zealand |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
Zimbabwe |
1 |
0 |
1 |
Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/
Read Bangladesh vs West Indies Series 2022: Full Fixtures and Squads
Batting Performance of Shakib Al Hasan as Captain
Shakib Al Hasan has an exceptional battering record while captaining the team. Shakib is second only to Tamim Iqbal in terms of run scoring in the 14 games he has led for Bangladesh. Shakib has scored 918 runs in 27 innings as captain, with an average of 35.30. He has a century against New Zealand as captain.
Country-wise, Shakib Al Hasan’s batting performance as captain
|
Opposition |
Innings |
Runs |
HS |
Ave |
|
West Indies |
9 |
325 |
96* |
40.62 |
|
England |
8 |
202 |
96 |
25.25 |
|
New Zealand |
2 |
187 |
100 |
93.50 |
|
India |
4 |
75 |
34 |
18.75 |
|
Zimbabwe |
2 |
74 |
68 |
37.00 |
|
Afghanistan |
2 |
55 |
44 |
27.50 |
Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/
Read Who Can Replace Mominul Haque as Bangladesh Test Cricket Captain?
Bowling Performance of Shakib Al Hasan as Captain
Shakib al Hasan's bowling record while captaining the team has been superb. He has taken the most wickets in the 14 matches he has led for Bangladesh. Shakib has 61 wickets in 26 innings as skipper, at an average of 28.77. He has four five-wicket hauls as captain.
Country-wise, Shakib Al Hasan’s bowling performance as captain.
|
Opposition |
Matches |
Wickets |
BBI |
Ave |
|
West Indies |
5 |
25 |
6/33 |
18.32 |
|
India |
2 |
9 |
5/62 |
32.44 |
|
New Zealand |
1 |
1 |
1/89 |
133.00 |
|
England |
4 |
17 |
5/121 |
36.94 |
|
Zimbabwe |
1 |
4 |
3/62 |
30.50 |
|
Afghanistan |
1 |
5 |
3/58 |
24.40 |
Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/
Read Is Mominul doing enough as Test Captain?
Bottom Line
One of the reasons Mominul Haque resigned as captain was because he couldn't focus on his batting due to the added pressure. Shakib Al Hasan's performance as a player while serving as skipper is outstanding. Shakib has a solid record with both the ball and the bat while captaining the Bangladesh Test team. Shakib has also led Bangladesh to the best winning percentage in Test cricket. Therefore, the BCB made the suitable decision in selecting Shakib Al Hasan as Bangladesh's next Test cricket captain.