Cricket News

Tamim Iqbal’s Mentorship Sparks Najmul Hossain Shanto’s ODI Revival

Zayn Kapoor · 28/04/2026 · 4 min read

In This Article

A New Era of Leadership: Tamim Iqbal’s Impact Beyond the Pitch
The Depth of the Slump: Shanto’s Struggle in 2025
The Turning Point: From Zero to Hero
The Secret Weapon: One-on-One Sessions with Tamim Iqbal
Looking Ahead: Strategic Shifts and Future Challenges

A New Era of Leadership: Tamim Iqbal’s Impact Beyond the Pitch

The landscape of Bangladesh cricket is undergoing a significant transformation. In a period marked by turbulence and transition, the appointment of Tamim Iqbal as the head of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has already begun to yield tangible results on the field. The most immediate evidence of this positive shift came during the recent three-match One Day International (ODI) series against New Zealand, where the home side comprehensively outplayed the visitors to secure a 2-1 series victory.

While team success is always a collective effort, the narrative of this series was dominated by the resurgence of Najmul Hossain Shanto. The Test captain, who had been enduring one of the most challenging periods of his professional career, emerged as the cornerstone of the series win. However, the story behind his revival is not just one of individual grit, but of strategic mentorship provided by the BCB president himself.

The Depth of the Slump: Shanto’s Struggle in 2025

For a player of Shanto’s caliber, the early part of 2025 was a grueling test of patience. Since making his debut in 2018 as a promising 20-year-old, Shanto has established himself as a mainstay across all formats, accumulating nearly 2,000 ODI runs. Yet, for over a year, the runs had dried up. His last significant contribution prior to this series had been a 76 off 119 balls against Afghanistan in November 2024.

The statistics paint a bleak picture of his form leading up to the New Zealand clash. Across 11 innings in 2025, Shanto averaged a meager 19.70. The psychological toll of a 13-match run without a single half-century began to mount, and the critics were loud. The pressure reached a boiling point during the first ODI of the New Zealand series, where Shanto suffered a golden duck, leaving many to question whether he still deserved his spot in the starting XI.

The Turning Point: From Zero to Hero

With the series hanging in the balance, Shanto managed to silence the naysayers in spectacular fashion. In the second ODI, facing the pressure of a must-win game to keep the series alive, he played a composed and vital knock, scoring an unbeaten 50 off 71 balls to guide Bangladesh to a comfortable chase of 199.

He didn’t stop there. In the series decider, Shanto reached the pinnacle of his comeback, smashing a brilliant 105 off 119 deliveries. This century not only sealed the series win for Bangladesh but also reaffirmed his position as a premier batter for the nation. Despite the early setback of a duck, Shanto ended the series as the leading run-scorer with a total of 155 runs across three innings.

The Secret Weapon: One-on-One Sessions with Tamim Iqbal

Following the series, Shanto revealed the catalyst for his turnaround in an interview with The Daily Star. He pointed directly to the guidance of Tamim Iqbal. Seeking to refine a specific shot in his repertoire before the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), Shanto reached out to the former captain and current BCB president, recognizing Iqbal as the master of that particular execution.

“I felt Tamim bhai would be the best person to consult because he played that shot very successfully throughout his career. I wanted to learn from his real-life experience and understand how he executed it,” Shanto explained.

The mentorship went beyond mere advice. Tamim Iqbal dedicated two full days of indoor training to work with Shanto, breaking down the mechanics of the shot and providing the technical clarity Shanto had been missing. This gesture of generosity and expertise proved to be the missing piece of the puzzle for the batter.

Looking Ahead: Strategic Shifts and Future Challenges

While Shanto played a dominant role at number 4 during the series, he has expressed a desire to return to the number 3 position. However, displaying professional maturity, he has left the final decision to the management led by Tamim Iqbal and the current captain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz.

The momentum is currently in Bangladesh’s favor. Beyond the ODI success, the team leads the T20I series after a strong opening performance in Chattogram. The ultimate test looms on the horizon: a two-match Test series against Pakistan. Having previously won a series 2-0 in Pakistan, the Tigers now have the opportunity to prove that their previous success was no fluke and that under Tamim Iqbal’s presidency, Bangladesh cricket is indeed reaching new heights.

Series Result: Bangladesh wins 2-1 vs New Zealand (ODI)
Shanto’s Series Total: 155 runs (including one century and one fifty)
Key Mentor: Tamim Iqbal (BCB President)
Upcoming fixture: Two-match Test series vs Pakistan

Zayn Kapoor

Zayn Kapoor is a senior cricket correspondent for The Indian Express, acclaimed for his incisive coverage of the sport’s most electric rivalry: India versus Pakistan. An alumnus of Hindu College, University of Delhi, he began his career on the domestic circuit before quickly establishing himself as a sharp analyst and a gifted storyteller. Zayn’s work is defined by his ability to bridge two cricketing cultures; his features often explore the shared histories, mutual admiration, and occasional tensions that make India‑Pakistan contests unrivalled. He has a deep technical grasp of fast bowling and has interviewed some of the greatest pacers from both sides of the border. A recipient of the Sardar Hazara Singh Award and a regular face on television panels, Zayn brings nuance, empathy, and a historian’s eye to every piece he writes. He is also a passionate advocate for preserving cricket’s oral histories and grassroots traditions.