A two-fold challenge for Shanto

Bangladesh’s all-format captain Najmul Hossain Shanto expressed a wish to step down from captaincy after the ongoing South Africa Test series, the first match of which the Tigers lost by seven wickets in Mirpur last week and the final game to be played in Chattogram from tomorrow.
Shanto is understood to be waiting for a discussion with Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Faruque Ahmed before making up his mind regarding captaincy..
Bangladesh have produced positive results under Shanto — the Tigers’ maiden Test series sweep over hosts Pakistan in Rawalpindi in August-September being the highlight. However, pressure can be telling for someone who has to oversee a team in all formats.
Even someone like Mominul Haque, who was captain only in Tests, was made to relinquish his role after a string of bad performances with the bat.
Like Mominul, Shanto too is a key top-order batter. If Mominul’s batting had become an issue, Shanto might as well feel that the toll of captaincy might hamper his batting in the long run.
Thus, not only the team management but even on a personal level, Shanto would desperately want his willow to do the talking in the second Test against South Africa.
In the last 12 months, Shanto has played nine Tests and averaged just above 25. His only ton during this period was also as the skipper — during the home Test series against New Zealand in November-December last year when he had to stand in as a replacement for then Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan.
However, in the six Tests prior to that New Zealand series, Shanto had averaged just over 48, a purple patch where he scored three of his five Test tons.
But since he officially took over the captaincy role, his batting took a hit, drawing criticisms, even though his tactical nous as a leader has been praised.
Shanto’s last big contribution with the bat came last month in Chennai in the first Test against India in which he hit 82.
Shanto’s batting method and technique, however, looked similar during and before his captaincy. The question remains whether he is feeling the pinch of having too much on his plate now.
The final Test against South Africa is a series decider with World Test Championship points up for grabs.
Shanto and Co had a gruelling training session in Chattogram yesterday. Chattogram has offered good batting surfaces over the years and it could be what is needed to ease Shanto’s predicament as a batter.
For Shanto, having a positive outing with the bat in the final game against the Proteas might just help him get his form back and acquire the mental assuredness to make a call on his captaincy.