Bangladesh middle-order batter Towhid Hridoy wants to focus on the upcoming three-match ODI series against Afghanistan in the UAE, choosing to sidestep discussions around the team's captaincy issue.
Hridoy's name surfaced as a potential candidate for T20 captaincy after Najmul Hossain Shanto expressed a desire to step down from leadership roles across all formats. Despite this, Shanto is set to captain the team in the Afghanistan series.
"I don't want to talk about this issue," Hridoy stated regarding the captaincy speculation, emphasizing that his priority is the series. "There is an important series ahead. We want to concentrate on this series only," he told reporters ahead of the team’s departure for the UAE.
Bangladesh, despite a seven-month break from ODIs since facing Sri Lanka at home, remains optimistic about their chances against Afghanistan. Hridoy shared that their preparation for the series has been solid. While members of the Test squad recently played against South Africa, Hridoy and others focused on honing their skills specifically for the limited-overs format.
"This is the format we play really well. Hopefully, we can make a good start to the series," Hridoy said, stressing that an early win could set the tone for a series victory. "If we can play to our full potential, I think we can win the series."
Although he refrained from delving into the captaincy debate, Hridoy did share his perspective: "Captaincy should be given to someone who can do well for the team. Whoever gets it, we all need to support him."
Afghanistan has emerged as a competitive rival for Bangladesh, yet Bangladesh holds a slight edge, with 10 wins in 16 ODI matches between the two sides. The three ODIs will be held on November 6, 9, and 11 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
