Taijul Islam 'fully prepared' to replace Najmul Hossain Shanto as Bangladesh Test captain

Experienced Bangladesh left-arm spinner Taijul Islam said that he is ready to lead the national cricket team after playing international cricket for 10 years. Taijul Islam's statement comes amidst reports of current skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto's resignation after the second Test match against South Africa.

The second Test between Bangladesh and South Africa is set to take place in Chattogram, starting on Tuesday, October 29. South Africa is currently leading the series 1-0 after winning the first Test by seven wickets. As per reports, Shanto conveyed his desire to step down from the captaincy in all formats.

Shanto was appointed as Bangladesh's captain earlier this year and achieved a historic Test series win against Pakistan. However, the team faced a whitewash in both Tests and T20Is during their tour of India. They are now on the brink of losing the two-match Test series against South Africa at home.

I Haven't Heard Anything On This Matter - Taijul Islam

The team management sent Taijul Islam to the press conference instead of Najmul Hossain Shanto. Taijul expressed his readiness to take over as captain if Shanto steps down. However, the veteran spinner said that he hadn't heard anything regarding Shanto's resignation.

"I haven't heard anything on this matter (regarding Najmul quitting from captaincy) It's not part of our role, I'm not fully informed on this. Having played for 10 years, I'm fully prepared (for captaincy)," Taijul told reporters at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium on Monday, as quoted by Cricbuzz.

The Team Remains In Good Condition - Taijul Islam

Taijul also said that outside noise might impact players. The bowler mentioned that he remained relaxed and dedicated to his role, but other players react differently to outside pressures.

"This is a team game. The most important thing is that the team remains in good condition. Some players may be affected by outside events, while others can continue their role with calmness," said Taijul.

"Personally, I try to stay relaxed and focus on my work. But within a team, I can't say how each person reacts; everyone's mindset is different. We're not involved in management or board meetings," he added.

Our Goal Remains The Same - Taijul Islam

Taijul Islam emphasized the need for batters to step up in the second Test against South Africa. He stated that they want to play for victory and that they will adapt to the match conditions.

"Our goal remains the same: we'll play to win. As for the match conditions, we'll understand them once the game unfolds. But the focus will be on playing as a team - whether it's batting, bowling, or fielding. We'll do our best to win," he pointed out.

"Every match is an opportunity. From that perspective, I think this is another chance for the batters. We haven't performed on the level as expected as a team, although some have had individual performances in different matches. If we can build two or three partnerships in a game, and one or two players score a century, our target will be much bigger and everyone's working hard and is fully committed."

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