'I don't disagree with what Shakib said': BCB president on Shakib's statement regarding Bangladesh's Test culture

Shakib Al Hasan, Bangladesh's newly-appointed Test captain, said at the end of the recently concluded Test series against the West Indies that a Test cricketing culture was never existent in Bangladesh. After today's board meeting, the BCB president Nazmul Hassan said that he doesn't entirely disagree with what Shakib said about the Test culture.

"You can't blame the players only. When was the last time you saw 25 or 30 thousand people turning up to watch a Test match in Bangladesh? In England, it's a regular sight. The culture was never there in Bangladesh."

"We don't have a proper Test cricketing culture here but that doesn't mean it won't ever grow. It's our responsibility to bring about a change. If we make proper plans involving everyone, we might see a change. If it doesn't happen, then it won't be possible for us to see much progress," Shakib said.

"If you ask me, I don't disagree with Shakib," said Nazmul. "Test cricket is a game of patience. Not only the players but also everyone has to be patient here. India won just 35 Tests out of 196 in the first 50 years. Just think about it. They are one of the strongest teams in the world. New Zealand, the current WTC champions, took 26 years to win a Test."

"The culture, overall, doesn't involve only the players. The spectators, media - everyone has to be patient. A lot of teams needed time. We need some time too. But I think if we can improve as per the expectations, we have a chance to do better in future," he said. 

Nazmul Hassan mentioned some statistics and tried to prove that Bangladesh have improved in Tests during his tenure. "From 2012 to 2022, we have played 36 Test series and 61 Tests. We've won 13, drawn 11 and lost 37. We have won 21% of the matches during this period."

Nazmul pointed out that before his tenure, Bangladesh had won just four percent of the Tests and stated that he has observed a 'clear improvement'.