Aftab is currently working as the coach of DPL side Mohammedan Sporting Club Limited MD Manik/Dhaka TribuneHow difficult it is for a player to script a return to the national team after being dropped, since the facilities for the discarded cricketers are not the same, compared to the national players?I believe when a player gets dropped from the national team, it is the most difficult thing for him to return. It is even tougher than getting a call-up from the U-19 level. We had many talented players. But those players got dropped and after that, were totally detached from the BCB. As for me, I batted on concrete pitches against lower-level bowlers for many days after being dropped. A national player should not practise on concrete. But I had no other options because I had fewer facilities. There was no proper gym. There was a lack of opportunity for match-practice as well. So I think BCB should look after it. They should provide proper and competitive facilities for players who have been dropped from the national team. Otherwise it would be very, very difficult for someone to make a comeback. It happened with me.Also read: Aftab: I miss T20 as it suits my batting style
Has the scenario changed in recent times?I think the situation has not changed completely yet. I believe it is getting more and more difficult to return to the national team these days. You see, back in our time, there were not many players who were ready to play for the national team. So a player got considered a few months later after being dropped. But now, national team competition is so intense. We have many quality players who are in the pipe-line. Look at Nasir Hossain. We are unable to give him a place in the national team after dropping him. He has a good international record. He is scoring tons of runs, still, he is out of the side. And as for facilities, I don’t think he is getting all the help. So it must be difficult for him. There are a few players as well, like Raqibul Hasan or Junaid Siddique. They are playing well, despite a lack of facilities. But the competition is so hard that these players can't find a place in the national squad.Do you think the BCB should do more in its powers to look after the national discards?Yes, definitely. Recently as a coach, I have seen some players struggling with a few things while batting. So I suggested them to bat in front of a bowling machine in order to improve. But they informed that they are not allowed to use the bowling machine. It is unfortunate. Those players have played for the national team. They are ex-national players. If they perform well then they can get call-up to the national team any time. Still they have plenty of time to revive their national team career. But they have no opportunity of practising in front of bowling machine. So BCB should look after that. They can make a list of 15-20 batsmen who have the opportunity to play for the national team again. They can allocate a bowling machine for them so that they can practise whenever needed. I am not saying everybody should use bowling machine facility. But the players who still have plenty to offer to the national team, we should provide them such facilities.
(File photo) Aftab Ahmed at his cricket academy in Chittagong ESPNcricinfoWhat are the improvements you have witnessed in the Bangladesh team recently?One thing I noticed is that players from the age levels, like U-19, are more confident at the moment compare to our times. This confidence is pretty much important. Many players get nervous after reaching the national team. But such nervousness is not occurring among these players in recent years. If you look at the current team then you will see that when young players like Soumya [Sarkar], Mosaddek [Hossain] and Mustafizur [Rahman] joined the team alongside the likes of Shakib [al Hasan], Tamim [Iqbal] and Mushfiqur [Rahim], they were confident. So new players are getting relatively matured and confident when they get the chance to play for the national team. It’s a positive sign. But there are some concerns in the first and lower divisions. Often, questions are raised about umpiring and other irregularities. A bowler or batsman can enter the top charts with the help of those unfair decisions. But that is not a genuine reflection of his talent. These players will play in the national or top level a few years later. I am afraid that if such irregularities continue then those players might not handle the pressure of performing in the top level. But overall, Bangladesh cricket is improving a lot.
Chittagong used to produce a lot of players in the past. But ever since yourself, Nafees Iqbal, Tamim and Nazimuddin came to the fore, there has been a lack of representatives from the port city. It is often seen that Chittagong fail to form a divisional team and have to borrow players from other districts to play in the National Cricket League. Why is it so?The four of us played Premier Division Cricket a lot, starting from 2002. But players these days are not able to take the pressure of Dhala Premier Division Cricket (DPL). Often Chittagong players progress until First Division Cricket before stopping. Unfortunately, our players are not reaching the next level, like the DPL. There is a huge difference between Premier League and First Division. When these players get into first-class cricket, then they have to face DPL or national team bowlers. They can't take the pressure and fail to perform. If you can't perform in a competitive league like the DPL then obviously you will not get the chance in the national team.
Another problem is seasonal practice. I had a First Division team last year. During those eight months, 15 players of that team probably came to practice for only 10 days. It's impossible to become a player after just practising for just one month in a year. But if you look at Rajshahi, they have plans for whole year practice. They also have daily plans, like batting and bowling in the morning then fitness gym in the afternoon. That’s why they are doing well in every level.
There is one solution. Our divisional team should concentrate on their regional players with long-term planning. The squad should be announced at least three months before the tournament starts. And those players, let's say 30 of them, should practice under divisional coaches to prepare themselves for the season. Players will thus be benefited and their skill and fitness will improve automatically if they practise constantly. But reality is players get called up only five-six days before the National League. And that is a very short period of time to prepare for the National League.
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