Captain Najmul Shanto has defended Shakib Al Hasan’s performance amid health concerns, saying he values dedication and effort over mere performance.
Shanto’s strategy in the first Test was to rely on pace bowlers, so Shakib was brought on later.
Despite Shakib’s lackluster performance, Shanto emphasised the importance of collective effort in cricket and did not talk about individual performances.
Was that a long read? Let me explain it more simply…
Next article Najmul Hossain Shanto defends Shakib’s performance (Image credit: X/@ICC)
What is the story
Bangladesh cricket team captain Najmul Hossain Shanto has defended all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan’s performance in the first Test against India after questions were raised about Shakib’s fitness and ability to handle the rigors of five-day cricket. In the Chennai Test, Shakib bowled 21 overs in the second innings but failed to take a single wicket. Meanwhile, he managed scores of 32 and 25 with the bat. Read more below.
Shunts are assessed based on athlete effort.
Shanto stressed that he evaluates players based on their dedication and effort, not just their performance. “As captain, I look at how hard the players work for the game, honestly,” he told reporters at the post-match press conference, adding that what’s important to him is the commitment the players have towards the team and how much effort they are willing to put in.
Primary Shunt Testing Strategy
Shanto revealed that his strategy in the first Test was to rely on his pace bowlers, which was why he brought Shakib into the attack after the 50th over. “Looking at how the three pace bowlers were doing, we didn’t need Shakib much in the first innings. Millers was also doing well. My plan was to keep the fast bowlers going for longer,” he explained.
Shanto refrains from talking about individual performances.
Shanto also refrained from talking about individual performances as cricket is a team sport and it is team effort that leads to victory. “I am not comfortable talking about individual performance of players. It is a team sport and it is only with the contribution of the entire team that we can win the match,” he said. He added that everyone should contribute more and he is not worried about individual performance.
Shakib didn’t hit a single no-ball against India.
Shakib conceded 50 runs in 8 overs in the first innings (ER: 6.20) before hitting 32 runs in 64 balls to help Bangladesh to 149. Shakib then bowled 13 overs and conceded 79 runs. Notably, he did not manage to get a single no-hit in the second innings. During Bangladesh’s chase, Shakib scored 25 runs in 56 balls.
