The West Indies claimed a 1-0 series victory over Bangladesh in their two-match Test contest during the 2025-2027 ICC World Test Championship. At the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka, the visitors won the opening Test by eight wickets between October 28 and November 1, 2026. The second Test at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium concluded in a draw from November 5 to 9, 2026, leaving Bangladesh unable to level the series.
Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto reflected on the team’s disappointing performance after the series concluded, acknowledging significant gaps in execution across batting, bowling and fielding. Shanto stated that the team’s preparation and planning required substantial improvement, particularly in how they approached home conditions and managed squad rotation during an increasingly congested international calendar.
“to their potential in the Test series against West Indies. Bangladesh lost the series 1-0 after the second Test at Sylhet ended in a draw. West Indies secured an eight-wicket win in the opening Test at Dhaka. “It’s very important to accept that we didn’t play good cricket. I think we weren’t even playing 50 per cent of the cricket we usually play in this format,” Shanto was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.
Why did Bangladesh lose the series?
The Bangladesh captain explained that the team’s strategy centred on exploiting spin-friendly conditions at home, with squad composition reflecting that approach. Bangladesh fielded three spinners and two pace bowlers across both matches, a selection designed to maximise home advantage. However, Shanto acknowledged that the execution fell short of the plan’s intent.
“Our plan was to play on a spin wicket, to be very honest. If you look at both matches, we played with three spinners and two pace bowlers. I don’t think we lost the first match due to the conditions. I think we didn’t do well in all three departments: batting, bowling, and fielding. So that’s why we lost the match, and I think the plan was correct, but the execution, as I mentioned earlier, wasn’t proper,” Shanto said.
Shanto highlighted that pitch conditions at Sylhet did not develop as anticipated, which affected the team’s ability to fully utilise their spin-heavy attack. The captain noted that spin did not emerge as early in the match as expected, limiting Bangladesh’s ability to control proceedings with their specialist spinners.
“I wouldn’t say we got the exact conditions we wanted or expected in Sylhet. So, in that aspect, we might have been a bit behind in terms of planning,” Shanto said.
How did pitch conditions affect the team’s strategy?
Shanto stressed the importance of maximising home advantage through better planning and coordination with the ground staff. He acknowledged that while pitch preparation is planned well in advance, Bangladesh fell short of achieving the desired conditions in this series.
“Look, these things are actually planned much in advance like what kind of conditions we will play in and what kind of wicket we want when we play at home and we must take that advantage. I think we should have gotten that (home advantage) fully. Even if not fully, at least close to it. Unfortunately, we got a bit less, and I don’t want to make excuses by saying this. Overall, if you look, neither our batsmen nor our bowlers could perform well in the Test match. So, the responsibility is ours. But again, when we play at home, we must take these advantages. So, inshallah, if such an opportunity arises again in the future, we will have to think more carefully and create the conditions,” Shanto said.
Despite the disappointing series result, Shanto backed Bangladesh’s spin bowling unit and resisted calls to abandon faith in the trio that featured in both matches. The captain acknowledged recent struggles but emphasised the spinners’ proven track record over more than a decade.
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“It’s not right to lose that trust in spinners so quickly, and I believe the three spinners who played are very capable. Yes, I agree they haven’t bowled well in the last two or three series. But I think they should definitely be given credit for how they have contributed as a spin bowling unit over the last 10-12 years. Sometimes two or three series can go badly, but backing them is important, and I believe they will make a very good comeback,” Shanto said.
Can Bangladesh back their spinners after recent struggles?
Shanto identified workload management and squad planning as critical areas requiring improvement as Bangladesh navigates an increasingly congested international schedule. The captain acknowledged that back-to-back matches demand better strategic thinking about player rotation and series-specific preparation.
“In this area, we need to plan a bit better going forward. Because with back-to-back matches happening now, we need to plan better for the series and gradually figure out which player will play in which series and how much they will play, and we need to learn these things. Although sometimes we don’t have enough backup options for players, we sometimes struggle in this way. But with the way our games are going, if we plan a bit better in the future, I think we will be able to prepare better before each series,” Shanto added.
Towhid Hridoy emerged as a bright spot in Bangladesh’s second-innings performance at Sylhet, scoring an unbeaten 242 in only his third Test appearance. Shanto praised the young batter’s maturity and ability to bat with the lower-order batsmen, qualities that demonstrated rare composure for a player so early in his Test career.
“Everyone in our dressing room felt good. I think playing such a big innings in only his third Test, and batting with the lower middle-order and lower order the way he did; sometimes even very experienced cricketers can’t do that,” Shanto said.
