Mominul Haque steps down as Bangladesh Test captain

Mominul Haque has resigned as Bangladesh's Test captain, following the team's series defeat at home against Sri Lanka.

ESPNcricinfo understands that Mominul, who has led the side in the longest format since October 2019, was being weighed down by the pressures of captaincy, and as a result was struggling with the bat as well; he has averaged just 16.20 in 2022, with 162 runs from six matches. Overall, Bangladesh won just three Tests under Mominul's leadership, losing 12 and drawing two.

"When you play well, even if the team doesn't win, you are still in a position to motivate them. I felt that captaining a side is tough when I am not scoring and team is not winning. I think it is best to quit the captaincy.

"I feel I should focus on my batting. It wasn't a hard decision. A captain has to contribute otherwise it brings a lot of pressure. The board president told me to stay on but I don't want to be the captain. "

Though Bangladesh began 2022 with a historic victory against New Zealand in Mount Maunganui, they lost four of their next five Tests, falling to series defeats against both South Africa and Sri Lanka. It is understood that following the loss in the second Test against Sri Lanka in Mirpur last week, Mominul met with the BCB president Nazmul Hassan, indicating his wish to step down from the captaincy in order to focus on his batting.

Shakib Al Hasan is among the names being considered to replace Mominul, but a full-time captain is yet to be named.

"I am not concerned about Mominul's captaincy. I didn't hear anything from the coaches too. He is not getting runs, which is always a worry for a batsman. Mominul is going through a mental crisis. I told him immediately after the Dhaka Test that we believe in him," Nazmul told Daily Star .

"I also heard Shakib's name is in discussion for Test captaincy. Shakib used to be captain in all three formats but now I have to know what is he available for? He cannot make last minute decisions about his availability when he is the captain.

"We have to discuss with him first. There are also other names being discussed. We have to take a well thought out decision. We cannot make someone a captain on a whim."

Shakib has had numerous stints as Bangladesh's Test captain in the past, first leading the side in a game against West Indies in 2009. He captained the team for six more matches in the first half of 2010, and more Test in August 2011 against Zimbabwe, before falling out of favour with the then BCB chief Mustafa Kamal. Shakib then took over the Test captaincy once again in December 2017, replacing Mushfiqur Rahim. Shakib held the role for nearly two years, till he was handed a one-year ban from all cricket in 2019 for failing to report a bookie's approach.

Incidentally, Shakib's future in Test cricket has been a topic of discussion in recent months, with the allrounder going back-and-forth on his commitment to red-ball cricket. In February, Shakib had reportedly asked the BCB for some time off from Test cricket, but was nonetheless selected in the squad for the tour of South Africa. Shakib, though, suggested that he was "jaded", and requested a break from international cricket, which the BCB eventually granted him.

However, that wouldn't be the end, as Nazmul publicly questioned Shakib's commitment to his country, and following another round of meetings between the allrounder and the BCB boss, Shakib was included in the tour of South Africa.