2015 BPL champion Comilla Victorians coach Mohammad Salahuddin is not a new face in Bangladesh cricket. The former fielding and assistant coach of the Tigers, Salahuddin took up the coaching job at a very early age and has achieved quite a few successes in a short time.
The former cricketer from BKSP spoke to Dhaka Tribune yesterday. Here are the excerpts:
Were you satisfied with the squad after the players’ draft?
I was, but my franchise owner wasn’t. As you know, we were not so lucky in roping in big names in the players’ draft. We were looking for a middle-order batsman, that’s when I suggested Alok Kapali. Overall, I was confident of my team right from the start.
How much of a challenge was the job?
To be honest, it was a huge challenge for me and I was a bit nervous initially. But I share a very good relation with the local players which helped me in my work. I think it’s important for every coach to know the pulse of each and every single member of a team. There is always pressure but I took it as a challenge and tried to learn all the time.
Your view on Mashrafe bin Mortaza and his leadership?
Mashrafe is a matured cricketer and he has that leadership quality. He can read a situation well and tries to contribute all the time. It’s important for every leader to gel with the team, which he has been doing successfully in the recent past.
Did you face any pressure from the franchise?
There were some pressure as they were willing to give their opinion, which I don’t like as a coach. However, I tried to work freely and to some extent, the owners understood that and allowed me to work my way. But yes, there will always be some pressure from the owner as it’s a franchise-based tournament.
How would you rate Abu Haider Rony?
He is a great prospect for Bangladesh cricket and he needs some more time to prepare himself. I think he needs to bowl better with the new ball and also needs to work harder if he really wants to play for the national side for a long time.
Any particular reason behind Comilla’s success?
Our bowling has been great throughout the tournament which helped us. Apart from the variations, the inclusion of Ashar Zaidi and Andre Russell gave us depth in both batting and bowling. We were also worried about our batting initially but after Mashrafe’s winning knock of 56 at No 4 against Chittagong Vikings, it produced the confidence to our batsmen and we gained the momentum.
Any intentions of getting back to the Bangladesh Cricket Board?
I haven’t thought of it yet, but obviously if I get a good offer from the board I will work. But at the moment, I am thinking of setting up an academy for the national discards and also for the domestic players. I think these players don’t have any training facilities during the off season and I would like to work with these players and prepare them for the future.
