Najmul Hossain Shanto marked his return as Bangladesh captain impressively by scoring a splendid century against Ireland in the recent first Test held in Sylhet. Bangladesh clinched a dominant victory by an innings and 47 runs, dismissing the final five Irish batsmen on the fourth morning of the match.
Following the game, Shanto emphasized that he prefers to focus solely on his batting when at the crease, leaving the captaincy duties aside. He highlighted the importance of contributing as a batsman during his time on the field and fulfilling his captaincy responsibilities off the field.
Reflecting on a challenging period after stepping down from the captaincy during the Sri Lanka Test series, Shanto mentioned that he utilized the time to rejuvenate himself, spend time with family, and enhance his batting skills both technically and mentally.
While Shanto had displayed remarkable form earlier in the year with two centuries in Sri Lanka, his performance against Ireland showcased a return to his classic style of playing straight shots and capitalizing on scoring opportunities.
When questioned about adjustments against spin bowling, Shanto downplayed any specific changes, emphasizing his focus on playing each ball on its merits rather than relying on particular shots like sweeps.
Shanto’s ability to capitalize on scoring opportunities and his disciplined approach to batting were key factors in his success during the match against Ireland.