Bangladesh Cricket Board has finally made it clear that head coach Russell Domingo will guide the national team only in Test and One-Day International going forward.
The charge of the Twenty20 International team has been handed to the newly appointed technical consultant Sridharan Sriram.
Former Indian cricketer Sriram is not the head coach but will guide Bangladesh in major events in the form of the Asia Cup T20 later this month and the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia in October-November.
BCB president Nazmul Hasan Monday made the announcement following weeks of speculation about Domingo's fate as Bangladesh head coach as the board has been unhappy with his method of running the national dressing room.
Nazmul and influential decision makers of the board have lately indicated changes in the national coaching panel.
Nazmul had a discussion on it with Domingo and Sriram at the BCB headquarters in Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium Monday.
Bangladesh T20I captain Shakib al Hasan was also part of the meeting.
Nazmul along with Domingo following the meeting however, informed that the decision has come on the back of a need of Domingo’s break amid the busy cricket schedule and since it is only going to get busier in the coming days.
“We have recently appointed a technical consultant, Sriram. We had a bit of discussion with him [yesterday] and we also had a meeting with Domingo regarding his future. I must say we had a fruitful discussion and we have given him the charge of the Test and ODI team. We have kept T20I separate,” said Nazmul to the media.
Domingo’s new role will mean the former South African cricketer will be inactive with the national team activities till the T20 World Cup ends for Bangladesh.
Nazmul claimed Domingo will be kept busy with domestic and other forms of cricket in the country.
“He [Domingo] wants to observe National Cricket League. He has shown interest in that. He also wants to attend the Bangladesh A team matches and observe the players in the pipeline and also those who have been recently discarded from the national team,” said the BCB supremo.
Though many in the national dressing room believes the board’s decision against Domingo has been unfair and that he has been left frustrated recently, the 47-year old acted happy and said he is fine with the announcement.
“I liked the plan as it will help me to focus on Test and 50-over cricket. We have some good results in T20I and there are some bad results too. I think this is a good way to start a new journey for T20,” said Domingo.
“This team doesn’t belong to me only and it is also not that everything has to involve me. The decision makers have thought the best to be done for the benefit of the team and they have my full support. This [plan] is allowing me time to think of the future which involves 50-over World Cup in 2023 and there is a lot to be done in Test cricket too,” Domingo added.
