Bangladesh Cricket Board will ask head coach Russell Domingo to explain the allegations he made against the board and some of its influential directors.
The unhealthy situation in the Bangladesh dressing room has been part of widespread discussion in the cricket fraternity in the recent years.
Domingo, speaking to a leading Bangla newspaper of the country in an interview, shed light on the rumors and claimed the national dressing room is not being able to run peacefully due to the pressure and control exerted by the chairman of cricket operations committee and other members of the board.
BCB director and chairman of cricket operations Jalal Younus in a reaction to the interview said Domingo will be asked for an explanation and that the board will speak to him in details on the matter.
“I actually want to make a comment after discussing the matter with others [in the BCB]. But some allegations like hampering the cricketers [mentality], I think the cricketers can answer better who is doing the hampering. This is not true. [Board] give a message [to the dressing room] if there is anything, like what we want and how we want. There are no secrets in this,” said Jalal to the media Wednesday.
“This was not expected [of the allegations made by Domingo]. He is still contracted with the board. I do not want to speak on what he has said but first want to discuss internally. I have said this to the president [Nazmul Hasan], he has read the interview as well. The CEO [Nizamuddin Chowdhury] is informed as well. We first need to have an internal discussion and then ask him [Domingo] for an explanation,” the BCB high-up added.
The BCB last Monday relieved Domingo from his duty of coaching the T20I team and that the former South African cricketer would only look after the Test and ODI side.
Domingo has since headed for a long vacation.
Bangladesh head coach Domingo in the interview explained the situation that existed post the T20 World Cup 2021 and insisted the cricketers do not have the freedom to think freely and that they are always under immense pressure from the board.
“We lost two matches [against Sri Lanka and England] in the main round of the [T20] World Cup [in 2021] and had Shakib [al Hasan] and Saifuddin ruled out due to injuries. The team were worried at that time and that happens when the cricketers are not able to think by themselves and that comes from the coaching and the leadership. This team did not get good coaching in the last eight to 10 years,” said Domingo.
“The cricketers are not able to think by themselves because the board ridicules them, the director of cricket ridicules them. How will the cricketers learn if they are told to do this and that in every step? This is the biggest challenge for Bangladesh cricket. The cricketers are not able to think and do as they like,” Domingo added.
Domingo in the interview was queried why he as the head coach could not protect the players.
“You can ask the cricketers that I have always tried to keep the dressing room calm. I tried to make cricketers who can think clear and straight but there is too much noise around the team that it has not been possible for me to control,” said Domingo.