'It won't affect the dressing room' - Mehidy Hasan on sudden captaincy change

By Atif Azam

Bangladesh cricket has seen a significant shift as Mehidy Hasan has been appointed as the new ODI captain, replacing Najmul Hossain Shanto for a one-year term. The decision, made by the BCB, came unexpectedly as Shanto was preparing to discuss the ODI squad for the upcoming home series against Sri Lanka with head coach Phil Simmons.

Mehidy Hasan Miraz takes over as Bangladesh's ODI captain © AFP

Sources indicate that Shanto was surprised by the decision, as he had been anticipating leading the ODI team and had already discussed plans with players regarding the Sri Lanka tour, focusing on role clarity within the ODI setup.

It is understood that Shanto had previously communicated his desire to lead the team in both Tests and ODIs after stepping down from T20I captaincy to concentrate on his batting performance. Following the board's decision to appoint Mehidy as ODI captain, Shanto suggested that the spinner should also take over the Test captaincy, advocating against having different captains for each format.

The appointment of Mehidy for the next 12 months suggests a potential lack of long-term planning by the board, especially considering the 2027 ODI World Cup is on the horizon. Despite the circumstances, Mehidy remains composed.

"I don't know how (the captaincy) was decided. It is usually done in a board meeting. Nobody can decide on their own. I think all of us are usually prepared mentally for any situation we may have to face," Mehidy stated.

He added, "He (Najmul) has been performing well in ODIs but it was the board's decision (to change the captaincy). We may not have fulfilled expectations in terms of team results during this period."

Mehidy emphasized his positive relationship with Shanto, highlighting their history of playing together since their U-15 days and including the U19 World Cup in 2016. He believes that Shanto will not be negatively affected by playing under him.

"I don't think it will have an effect on the dressing room (change in captaincy). We are all playing for the country. These things won't bother Shanto and me. I helped him a lot during his captaincy. He will do the same. He will help me. We want to take Bangladesh forward," Mehidy affirmed.

He concluded, "Shanto and I have been playing together since our Under-15s. We spoke about taking Bangladesh forward, it doesn't matter who is the captain. We have to play as a team. Our senior players brought us to a stage, and now we want to take the team further. It is our responsibility. We are going through a bad time but I hope that we can get over it quickly."