Yet, despite the individual brilliance, murmurs of doubt persisted over Bangladesh’s approach, particularly their intent, or the lack thereof, in pursuing a win.

“As a leader, he’s shown great character, which will benefit the rest of the team.”

Unbeaten centuries from Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mushfiqur Rahim on the opening day of the Galle Test yesterday brought welcome relief to Bangladesh cricket, who have been under scrutiny in recent months for both on- and off-field issues.

Bangladesh batter Mushfiqur Rahim has backed skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto to go on and convert his century into a double, after both reached three figures on the opening day of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle on Tuesday.

His positive intent, smart footwork, and assuredness set the tone for a dominant start to Bangladesh’s new WTC campaign.

Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto hopes that his side would start the upcoming ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle on the right foot as they prepare to take on hosts Sri Lanka in a two-match Test series, scheduled to get underway on Tuesday in Galle.

Statistically, Shanto’s best performances have come at number three. 

The Bangladesh cricket team has long epitomised an on-again, off-again pattern -- considering their enduring struggle with inconsistency across all formats.

Is BCB building a team for the future, or simply reacting to the present?

Bangladesh’s cricketing narrative has rarely followed a smooth arc. It has often flowed between flashes of brilliance and extended stretches of inconsistency.

Bangladesh Test skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto is set to lead the side for at least a year and has emphasised the importance of knowing the duration of his tenure in order to prepare with a long-term objective, part of which will be to do better in the upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.

As it seems, the dilemma for Bangladesh remains: is Shanto worth the tactical compromise?

This episode of The Daily Star’s podcast Pitch Perfect takes a deep dive into the unfolding crisis and tries to shed light on the root causes of the dysfunction and explore what it would take to bring Bangladesh cricket back from the brink.

Reporters present during the Bangladesh squad announcement in Mirpur yesterday, ahead of the upcoming T20I series against the UAE and Pakistan, may have felt a strong sense of deja vu.

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is waiting on the injury assessment of Liton Das as the wicketkeeper-batter is the frontrunner to captain the Tigers in their upcoming T20I series against the UAE and Pakistan.

Bangladesh are slated to play 16 T20Is against the UAE, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and India ahead of the 2025 Asia Cup. An additional six matches against the West Indies and Ireland will follow. With a packed T20 calendar and Shanto’s declining performances in the format, his inclusion in the squad becomes increasingly difficult to justify.

He is five Tests away from becoming the first Bangladeshi cricketer to reach the 100-Test milestone — a landmark achievement. But milestones alone cannot justify selection if current form continues to deteriorate. 

Zimbabwe pacer Blessing Muzarabani stood tall and won the battle against the much-hyped pace unit of Bangladesh in the first Test in Sylhet.

As a set batter, Shanto’s role was vital to give Bangladesh a substantial lead following their second innings.

Zimbabwe pacer Blessing Muzarabani remains confident that his side are ahead of Bangladesh despite the Tigers leading by 112 runs after a rain-affected Day 3 of the opening Test at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.