Bangladesh Suffer Innings Defeat in Colombo, Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto Resigns

Bangladesh endured a crushing innings-and-78-run defeat to Sri Lanka in the second Test in Colombo, losing the series 2–0. The heavy loss brought not only disappointment but also a significant shake-up, with skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto announcing he would step down as Test captain.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Shanto was candid in his self-critique but also tried to highlight positive signs for the team’s future.

“If you look at the Test team over the last couple of years, we have started winning or drawing away matches. It's better than before. But we still lack consistency,” Shanto admitted. “There will always be wins and losses. I feel if we had played like we did in the first Test, showing authority, we could have seen more areas of improvement.”

Asked how realistic it is to mount a comeback when trailing by a big margin in a Test match, Shanto explained:

“Comebacks are only possible when the difference is close. If you fall behind by 200–300 runs, it’s very difficult. Once you’re that far back after the first innings, it’s tough to claw back.”

Enamul Haque Bijoy, who forced his way back into the side with a mountain of runs in domestic cricket, failed in this series—prompting questions about the quality gap between Bangladesh’s domestic and international levels.

“Domestic cricket doesn’t pose the same level of challenge,” Shanto conceded. “Our bowlers there don’t always have the habit of hitting good areas for long spells. If we can bring that into the domestic game, perhaps the challenge at this level will become easier.”

Shanto was also critical of the bowling unit’s start in the match:

“At the beginning, even with 4-5-6 fielders back, we were giving away runs. When batters get that momentum, it becomes difficult for spinners to contain. When we brought in Nayeem, we felt we needed extra bounce. Later he came back really well, taking 3-4 wickets.”

On senior batters like Liton Das and Enamul Haque Bijoy failing to deliver, Shanto defended their selection but acknowledged their disappointing returns:

“Liton’s ball was actually a really good delivery. It didn’t feel like he gave away his wicket cheaply. And Bijoy bhai has 9,000 first-class runs, 24 centuries, 49 fifties. Why wouldn’t we pick such an experienced player? He got the chance but didn’t deliver, which is obviously disappointing.”

Still, the captain found reasons for optimism even in defeat:

“Nayeem’s bowling is something we can take from this series. Taijul bhai’s five-wicket haul, Mushfiq bhai’s long innings—these are things we can build on.”

Shanto signed off with a note of hope:

“As always, my hope is that we play better cricket in the coming days. That’s what we’ll aim for.”