Having played for 10 years, I’m fully prepared: Taijul on being made Bangladesh Test captain

In Bangladesh, it is customary for the home team's captain to attend the pre-match press conference the day before a Test. However, at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram today, Najmul Hossain Shanto, who recently expressed a desire to step down as captain in all formats, was notably absent from the press conference ahead of the decisive second Test against South Africa, scheduled to begin at the same venue tomorrow.

Shanto spent a lengthy session batting in the nets under Chattogram's hot, humid conditions, accompanied by his teammates. Journalists anticipated his presence in the press conference, especially after reports circulated that Shanto was unwilling to continue in his role as skipper.

Aware of the attention, Shanto appeared to have intentionally avoided the press, leading the Bangladesh team management to send left-arm spinner Taijul Islam in his place.

The press conference began with standard questions about the upcoming Test, but Taijul soon found himself fielding questions about Shanto's apparent reluctance to remain as captain. Initially, Taijul deflected the topic, stating he hadn't heard anything of the sort. However, he did acknowledge that players could face challenges with off-field issues surfacing just before a match—a situation that has become all too common in Bangladesh cricket over the past year.

"What matters is how the team performs on the field. Some might feel the impact, while others stay calm and focus on their own tasks. Personally, I always try to stay relaxed and concentrate on my job. But within a team, people handle things differently. Not everyone processes everything in the same way," Taijul explained during the press conference.

When asked if he is ready to take the captaincy role, Taijul seemed confident, ''Having played for 10 years, I'm fully prepared.''