Bangladesh skipper Shanto dropped from his BPL team for poor form

It is highly unlikely that the skipper of a national team in all formats will not find a place in the domestic side of the top league in his country. But it has happened in Bangladesh as Najmul Hossain Shanto was dropped from Fortune Barisal's playing 11 after an average showing in the first five games of the Bangladesh Premier League 2024-25. 

Shanto, who had scores of 0, 9, 4, 41 and 2 in the matches he played, was not able to fulfil the expectations that the team had of him. It is only co-incidental that Barishal have won all matches after Shanto’s exclusion from the side. 

Reasoning why Shanto had to be dropped, Barishal skipper, who is a Bangladesh legend, Tamim Iqbal said, “I must say it's unfortunate because I could not give him the chances that he deserved. Against Rangpur, he played a good innings of 41 runs but could not give him a chance due to the combination. I could not understand where to slot him.”

However, the Bangladesh national team’s senior assistant coach Mohammad Salahuddin feels that despite being unable to make it to the playing 11 of his club, Shanto will not lack in confidence during the all-important ICC Champions Trophy 2025, where he will lead the side. 

"If he can take his preparations well amid this, which I have seen him doing, he can gain back the confidence from training. He isn't sitting idly here. He will have a different role to play," the coach was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.