Bangladesh Cricket Board director and former national captain Khaled Mahmud will keenly follow the work of the coaching staffs during Bangladesh’s tour of Sri Lanka for two Tests.
Mahmud informed this to the media after BCB Tuesday gave him the charge as team leader for the series, for which the national team are scheduled to leave Dhaka this Monday.
The recent below-par performance of the Bangladesh team in New Zealand has raised questions regarding the efficiency of the current coaching staffs, led by head coach Russell Domingo.
Mahmud when queried on the probable issue refrained from making a straight comment, rather informed that he will observe the operations closely during the tour of Sri Lanka.
“I personally know he (Domingo) is a good coach. Now being close to the team, I am sure I will get to know better. The board had thoroughly thought before assigning Domingo as the coach so there is no doubt that he is a good coach,” said Mahmud.
“Performance will not depend on the coach as they are not the ones playing. Coaches will give you thousands of plans and it will be on the players to execute those. Those plans are of no use if you are not executing those in the field. A coach can give you a plan and train you but it is the players who have to do well in the field.
Bangladesh Cricket Board will offer central contract to the cricketers based on performance in the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka Cricket, and the home series against the same opponents in May.
Posted by Sports Tribune on Tuesday, 6 April 2021
"Now if the players are doing but the plans are good then it’s a different thing. I think it is important to have a good coordination. I am not sure why such thing (below-par performance) is happening repeatedly. It is tough to comment if you are not close to the team,” he added.
The Bangladesh national team think-tank, including Mahmud, had a meeting at the BCB office Tuesday to decide on the squad, and the way ahead for the tour of Sri Lanka.
Speaking of the team, Mahmud mentioned the trouble in making a squad without ace all-rounder Shakib al Hasan.
Shakib chose to not be a part of the tour of the island nation to play for Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League Twenty20, starting this Friday.
“Shakib’s unavailability is a big issue for us as he helps to balance the team. He is both a batsman and a bowler to the team. But you also have to realize that cricketers like Shakib, Tamim (Iqbal), Mahmudullah or Mushfiqur (Rahim) will not be there forever to serve the team,” said Mahmud.
“There was once Mohammad Raqfique, Habibul Bashar and Naimur Rahman, cricket did not stop after they left. Shakib is always a plus to the team but now we have to think of the alternative. All players are equally responsible for the performance of the team. This is not a game of a senior or a junior. It is not that Tamim has 100% responsibility and Liton (Das) has little responsibility. There is no reason to bring in a comparison. Even if you are new in the team you are equally responsible,” he added.
