Sports Desk:

Bangladesh on Saturday said batsman Najmul Hossain Shanto would lead the country in the two-Test series against New Zealand beginning later this month.

Shanto was given the charge as regular captain Shakib Al Hasan was injured during the World Cup in India, and his deputy, Liton Das, requested a break to be with his newborn daughter.

‘Liton asked for a month’s leave. He won’t play two Tests… he wants to spend this month exclusively with his family,’ Bangladesh Cricket Board’s cricket operations chief, Jalal Yunus, told reporters in Dhaka.

‘Najmul Hossain is captain for the next two Tests,’ he said.

Shanto was named vice captain of the one-day international side before the World Cup, and led the side in two matches in the tournament in Shakib’s absence.

He also led Bangladesh in the third and final one-day match against New Zealand in September, in the absence of Shakib and Liton.

New Zealand beat Bangladesh 2-0 in the ODI series, the side’s first series win in Bangladesh in 15 years.

New Zealand’s Test squad will arrive in Bangladesh on Monday, and the first Test will be held in Sylhet from November 28 to December 2.

Dhaka’s Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium will host the second Test from December 6–10.