No Shanto in press meet, Taijul puts hand up for captaincy

On the day before a Test match, the common practice in Bangladesh is that the captain of the host team would attend the pre-match press conference.

However, that wasn't the case at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram today as skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto, who recently expressed his desire to step down as a captain from all three formats, skipped the press conference ahead of the series-deciding second Test against South Africa, scheduled to start at the same venue tomorrow.

Shanto had a long batting practice session at the nets amid hot and humid conditions in Chattogram along with his teammates and the journalists were looking forward to getting him in the press conference after it was reported in several news outlets that Shanto is unwilling to continue as skipper.

Shanto, aware of the situation, seemingly skipped the press conference intentionally, which prompted the Bangladesh team management to send left-arm spinner Taijul Islam to attend the press meet.

Although the press conference started with some regular questions thrown at him regarding the upcoming Test match, after a while, Taijul had to answer a number of questions regarding Shanto's reluctance to carry on as captain.

Initially, Taijul denied speaking on the issue by saying that he hasn't heard anything like that but admitted that some players may face problems with off-field issues cropping up right before a match, something that has become a regular occurrence in Bangladesh cricket over the last one year and so.

"What matters is how the team does [on the field]. Some might get affected by it and some may stay relaxed and just do their own work. Personally, I always try to stay relaxed and try to do my job. But when it happens within a team, I don't know who takes it how. Actually everyone doesn't possess everything the same way," Taijul said during the press meet. 

"I really don't have the answer to the question [Shanto leaving captaincy]. Me or other players are not involved in management or board meetings. We are not involved in deciding who will be the captain or coach," he said.

Taijul also said that if the opportunity arrives, he is ready to take charge of the Test unit.

"As I have been playing for 10 years, I think I'm fully ready," Taijul concluded the press meet with a big smile.

Some players like pacers Nahid Rana and Hasan Mahmud were missing in today's practice session. Zakir Hasan, who featured in an NCL match for Sylhet against Chattogram, is expected to join the side from Sylhet as soon as the game ends today.

Bangladesh are currently trailing the two-match series 1-0 after they lost the opening Test by seven wickets at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium last week.