The Bangladesh Cricket Board is pondering to introduce split captaincy in the upcoming days.
It is understood that BCB high-ups are mulling with the idea after Tamim Iqbal decided to step down from the post of ODI captaincy recently. However, the left-handed opener made a sudden visit to the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur on Sunday to make plans regarding his future course of action. He had met the physio and a member of the medical department to assess his condition.
“Split captaincy can be an option going forward,” said the official, adding that they first have to know the mind of Shakib before thinking anything ahead in this regard.
“Look, we have to know what he is planning and taking everything into consideration we feel that split captaincy can be one of the options that we can choose and it won’t be a very bad idea either,” he said.
“We also have to take Shakib’s age into account because if he can remain focused totally on white-ball cricket and pick and choose the red-ball in that case it might suit him,” he said.
“You also have to understand that there is lots of white-ball cricket in the upcoming with back-to-back two World Cups,” he said, adding that Liton in the meantime can be groomed as a future leader.
BCB President Nazmul Hassan Papon is expected to speak with Shakib to know his minds and if he finds that he is ready to take the responsibility for three formats he is willing to hand it over to him but if Shakib feels that leading three formats might be a pressure for him in that case he is expected to be offered the white-ball captaincy.
It is understood Liton also wants to lead the side if he is given captaincy for a considerable amount of time rather than becoming a stop gap arrangement.
BCB earlier went for split captaincy when they handed ODI captaincy to Mashrafe Mortaza and Test captaincy to Mushfiqur Rahim in 2014.
Shakib, who is the current Test and T20I skipper, had previously led Bangladesh in 50 ODIs while he also has the experience of leading Bangladesh in the 50-over World Cup in 2011.
