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Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto urged the BCB to arrange a series with an away team or a longer-version domestic tournament, as they are going into a limbo in the Tests after the second and final Test against Ireland, which ended on Sunday. 

They don’t have any Test matches before March next year, when Pakistan is supposed to tour Bangladesh. Overall, Bangladesh will play eight Test matches according to the Future Tours Programme of the ICC. 

Shanto admitted that it’d be difficult for the players who only played the longer version in international cricket. 

‘This is so difficult, but as a professional cricketer you don’t have any choice. The thing we always do, or as a captain I want to do, is to maintain the communication. I also want our practice sessions to be purposeful,’ said Shanto after his side clinched a 2-0 victory over Ireland on Sunday. 

‘It will be great if we can play any four-day match before the Pakistan series. But I don’t know whether there’ll be any opportunity if the BPL goes ahead,’ he added. 

He also wants to have discussions among them. 

‘There’ll be challenges. But that can be reduced if we maintain the communication and discuss the areas that need to be improved,’ said Shanto. 

Shanto also urged everyone to play any longer-version matches they get the opportunities to. 

‘If you see, Mominul bhai, Shadman or Mushi bhai play whenever they get the chance. I hope that the young players will do that too. Yes, there is something like the workload of the pacers, which are managed by the trainers and the physios,’ he said. 

‘But as a captain, I always hope that everyone will play matches. Then the habit of batting or bowling for a longer period will grow,’ he added. 

Shanto then expected that the board would give them every opportunity. 

‘I expect our board will provide the practice facilities where there’ll be challenges. And there’ll be hope that we can play a series with a team from abroad or a tournament like the BCL. If we get the opportunity, then it’ll be easy for us,’ Shanto said.