Mominul Haque started running as soon as the ball hit the middle of the bat. Even then, Najmul Hossain Shanto was standing calmly at the non-striker’s end.
When Mominul started to return again, at that moment, the stumps were shattered. Mominul did not look towards the right direction even then; his path was towards the dressing room.
Although there might be a bit of regret in this incident, surely the day has passed. Bangladesh will play the fourth day of the Test against New Zealand with a lead of 205 runs. Shanto has contributed significantly to that with his century. Mominul praised him at the press conference on the final day. He said, “Shanto has been batting very well for the last 2-3 years. Keeping that in mind is the most important. He understands the game very well, has a clear mind, be it Test or One Day. He understands the opponent’s plan very well. It was an outstanding innings. They have batted very well under the pressure they created.”
In this match, Shanto has taken over the captaincy of the Test. He has become the first Bangladeshi to score centuries in such a match. Shanto showed excellent leadership during Bangladesh’s fielding. He has been successful in changing the bowling several times, and his field placements were like putting the fielders in the right places. Mominul praised Shanto’s leadership, saying, “You will understand better from the outside. The team is playing well. In that regard, it seems good to me.”
After stepping down from the captaincy of the Test, Mominul stood aside for a long time. After that, Shakib Al Hasan took over the leadership. Now it is currently under Najmul Hossain Shanto. When asked about them, Mominul did not agree to compare them. He said, “It is not possible to compare with anyone. Everyone’s theory is different. I think leadership is good for him. He does what he understands well. He understands the internal things. Many times a lot is missed, mistakes happen. It’s the responsibility of the seniors.”
He added, “I have played many Tests by Allah’s grace. Mushfiq bhai has played more. If you are the senior at home, you should take the lead. If you don’t, they disrespect you for work. Taking or not taking the captaincy is a matter of the captain. Many things go missing a lot of the time, get hung up. It’s the responsibility of the seniors.”
