Mominul reluctant to continue as Test captain

Hasan Mahmud replaces injured Shohidul in West Indies tour

FE Team | Published: May 31, 2022 22:10:43

Test captain Mominul Haque has said he is reluctant to continue in the role, report agencies.
He made the revelation after attending a meeting with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hasan on Tuesday evening, in remarks to the media.
"I'm not willing to continue as the role of the Bangladesh Test captain. I've told it to the BCB president. Now the board will decide who they offer the role," Mominul said.
''I just told them that I am unable to contribute to the side as a captain and failed to motivate the team,'' Mominul told reporters after the meeting with Nazmul Hasan, the BCB chief. "So I feel it is better if someone new is given the responsibility (leadership duties). I told them (what was going through my mind) and now it is up to them to decide.
"I feel it is not right for me to do captaincy at the moment, because what I feel is that if I can concentrate on my batting, it will be good for me as well as for the team. ''It's not because of out of any fear or anything like that. Look, when you play well, even if the team does not perform, you can still motivate. I am not doing well and the team is not performing at this point, captaining the side is very difficult," he added.
The experienced cricketer's form has come under scrutiny following a string of low scores. The southpaw has aggregated only 176 runs at an average of 12.57 in his last 15 innings, with just fifty (88) against New Zealand in Mount Maunganui. Mominul has failed to reach double-digits in his last seven innings, having made only 24 runs starting from the tour of South Africa in April.
As a Test captain, Mominul has compiled 912 runs in 17 at a modest average of just over 31. Bangladesh have won three Tests and drawn two while losing the remaining 12 under his leadership.
Mominul also said that the decision is now in the hands of the board in relation to appointing a new Test captain. The next board meeting is on June 2.
"He (Nazmul) did not say anything at all. I said that I want a break (from captaincy), as I want to concentrate on my batting as I feel it will be good for me. There is a board meeting in the coming days and they will decide there what they want to do."
Mominul was entrusted with the responsibility of captaining the side after Shakib Al Hasan was banned by the ICC for failing to report a corrupt approach in 2019.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh pace bowler Shohidul Islam has been ruled out of the upcoming tour of West Indies due to side strain, said BCB selector Minhajul Abedin on Tuesday.
Hasan Mahmud is likely to replace him in the tour, subject to clearing his physical fitness. Hasan suffered from a stiff back and had to return midway from the New Zealand tour in January 2021.
Shohidul made his debut against Pakistan in the T20I series last year but was included in the Test and T20 squads for the upcoming tour, which also includes a three-match ODI series
The pacer went through a long rehabilitation programme since picking up the injury and returning to competitive cricket in the last edition of the Dhaka Premier League, country's traditional 50-over club-based tournament.