Shanto defends Anamul, hails Nayeem after Colombo collapse

In the aftermath of Bangladesh's crushing innings and 78-run defeat to Sri Lanka in Colombo today, outgoing Bangladesh Test captain Najmul Hossain Shanto refrained from singling out individual failures, though the spotlight naturally fell on underperformers. 

Among them was opener Anamul Haque Bijoy, whose comeback to Test cricket after a year was met with stark reality checks rather than redemption.

Anamul, recalled for his first-class pedigree -- over 9,000 runs, 24 centuries and 49 fifties -- managed just 23 runs across the two Tests. Struggling against the new ball and appearing uncomfortable against pace, his technique and confidence were questioned. Yet, Shanto stood by the decision.

"Bijoy bhai has scored heavily in domestic cricket. We needed someone experienced at the top because our openers have not been consistent in the past year," Shanto defended. "Yes, it didn't work this time, but blaming him alone is unfair. The whole team underperformed."

Indeed, Bangladesh's batting unravelled in Colombo after a strong showing in Galle. Choosing to bat first at the SSC -- a move backed by logic -- they collapsed to 247 despite several batters getting starts. Sri Lanka responded with 458, and Bangladesh then folded for 133 on Day 4, sealing a 1-0 series loss.

Amidst the gloom, one bright spot did emerge -- off-spinner Nayeem Hasan. Playing just his seventh Test since debuting in 2018, the 23-year-old showed control, bounce, and sharp turn, particularly in the second innings at the SSC.

"Nayeem's performance is something we can build on," said Shanto. "He didn't start well, but he came back impressively. It's not easy to do that after such a long break. It was a very encouraging sign."

With regular spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz missed the first Test and Shakib Al Hasan unavailable, Nayeem made a strong case for greater inclusion moving forward. His ability to extract bounce even from slower pitches, combined with his discipline, made him one of the rare positives in a forgettable series.

The loss, however, cut deeper than scorecards suggest. The momentum from Galle, where they batted first and posted 495, evaporated in Colombo under pressure.