‘We even tried to make Shakib play Tests by making him captain’

The Cricket fraternity has had a shocking last few days since the ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan chose Indian Premier League (IPL) over national team duty. Shakib will be playing in the forthcoming season of IPL instead of Tigers' Test series against Sri Lanka in April. 
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has decided to let cricketers decide which format they want to play in the future. The cricketers will have options to choose their preferred format before getting in the central contract list. 
BCB president Nazmul Hasan Papon today confirmed this during the press brief at Mirpur on Monday. He also mentioned that the central contract list hasn't been finalized yet and BCB are trying their best to let players decide which format they want to play so that there won't be such instances in the future again. 
The BCB chief also revealed that they tried to make Shakib more interested in playing Test cricket by making him captain.
He also added that Shakib had made it clear back in 2017 before the tour of South Africa that he wasn't interested in Tests when he wanted a six-month break from it and was granted it by the board.
"Couldn't we have forced Shakib to play Test cricket? Probably. But we want him to love this format and play it for the love of it. We don't want to force anything. He had expressed his desire to not play Test cricket three years ago (ahead of the tour of South Africa)," he told the media at a press conference on Monday.
"We made him captain afterward and tried to get him to take more interest in Tests. But that is not really right to force someone to play a format that they're not interested in. We cannot think towards the future that way," he added.  
The BCB president talked about designing the upcoming contracts differently. Shakib was not part of BCB's last central contract after he was banned by ICC for a year from all cricket for failing to report corrupt approaches from a bookie. Although he is originally considered an automatic choice for central contracts in all three formats of the game, BCB's restructuring could definitely change the scenario for Shakib and others who want to play in franchise leagues. 
"The previous contract agreement has ended and no new contract has yet been created. So this time there will be a few new things in the contract. Players will have to decide which format(s) they want to play. This will clearly be mentioned in the upcoming contract," said Papon. 
"They will also have to notify whether they will be playing for the national side or elsewhere during the duration of that contract. Those who will sign the contract will not be allowed to leave," added Papon. 
Papon also told the media that it is not about an individual anymore. Everyone will have their say from now on. 
"No one will be forced. Those who don't want to play, will not be a part of the team."