Bangladesh’s struggles in home Test matches deepened further as they slumped to a disappointing three-wicket defeat against Zimbabwe in Sylhet on Wednesday. Despite pushing the game into the fourth day and showing glimpses of fight, the Tigers couldn’t avoid yet another loss in familiar conditions—raising serious concerns about their form and strategy in the longest format.

Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto has continued backing the idea of playing on neutral, sporting wickets—even after this latest setback.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, a composed Shanto said he still supports playing on balanced wickets that offer something to both batters and bowlers. “Yes, I believe we should continue playing on sporting wickets. The Sylhet pitch was very good. There was help for both batters and bowlers. There’s no need to look back. I’m hopeful we’ll have similar wickets in the upcoming matches too,” said the Bangladesh Test captain.

Shanto emphasized the importance of maintaining high-quality pitches that test skills rather than manipulating conditions for home advantage. “A true wicket is always better. We played poor cricket in this Test, that’s the bottom line. We should aim for fair surfaces that support both disciplines. Losing a match doesn't mean we should start relying on extreme home advantage. It should depend on the opposition and situation,” he added.

While Bangladesh have occasionally shown competitiveness overseas, their inability to win consistently at home is perplexing. Shanto believes it's not a question of technique but rather a lack of mental toughness and discipline from the batters. “It’s hard to pinpoint a specific issue. Most of the dismissals were soft. We didn’t lose wickets to great deliveries. It’s more mental than technical. We, the batters, need to take more responsibility—especially when we’re set at the crease,” Shanto reflected.