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Cricket Post Hathurusingha

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Update: 2017-11-14 22:59:05
Cricket Post Hathurusingha Chandika Hathurusingha (File photo: collected)

Sri Lanka born Australia living head coach of Bangladesh cricket has recently tendered his resignation from his adopted home following a disastrous tour of Bangladesh cricket team to South Africa. 

He was contracted as head coach of Bangladesh till ICC World Cup 2019. Media reports stated that Chandika Hathurusingha was among the highest paid national cricket coach and enjoyed many other generous rights and authorities over the team management which even many head coaches of the leading cricket nation did not enjoy. 

Professional coaches will come and go whenever they have better opportunities. But contract definitely has some obligations and some responsibilities. 

There is also conditions when and how one party can cease the contract. Observers say for a professional coach tendering resignations from abroad after completion of a failed tour is unprofessional and unbecoming. Situation demanded him returning with the team, submitting a report identifying areas where the team lacked to even prove competitive against South Africa. 

Needless mentioning that Bangladesh was comprehensively white washed in all formats of the game losing 2 tests, 3 ODIs and two T20s each by huge margin. These happened after Bangladesh performing admirably against strong England and Australia at home and against Sri Lanka on tour. 

Bangladesh cricket made noticeable transformation since Hathurusingha took over. He got a team which already had at least 5 matured players of high quality in Mashrafe, Mushfiq, Shakib, Tamim and Mahmudullah . The advent of Mominul, Sabbir, Taskin, Rubel, Mustafiz and Soumya made the competitive in ODI and shorter versions of the game. Bangladesh started winning more frequently. Qualifying for the first time for semi final in ICC world cup, winning three ODI series against Pakistan, India and South Africa at home, winning tests against England and Australia at home and Sri Lanka on tour were definite achievement. 

But there remained always a question about sustainability of success as Bangladesh could not create a dependable pipeline of quality players for gradual replacement of top players.  Quality players like Taskin, Mustafiz, Soumya, Sabbir, and Nasir failed to demonstrate consistency. 

Two other quality players like Mominul and Kayes were not mentored properly. Many established players like Shahriar Nafees, Abdur Razzak, Naeem Islam despite of their regular consistent performance in domestic cricket continued to be ignored in all formats of the game. 

There are credible allegations that players suffered for personal likings and disliking of the head coach. Certain top quality players like Mominul was not given opportunity he deserved in all formats, player like Nasir Hossain was almost pushed to the brink. The careers of Al Amin and Jubayer were made uncertain. 

On the other hand he experimented too much with Soumya and Sabbir in all formats chopping and changing batting order and team combination at his free sweet will. For doing these a mental difference was created between him and senior players which impacted on the morale of the team. 

These all happened since head coach enjoyed unlimited power and authority. There are allegations that he never followed any protocol and used to enjoy the direct blessings of BCB President. He was controversially included in the selection committee. He never felt it essential to watch domestic cricket and enjoyed leave as and when he felt .We are not sure how a professional head coach could stay on leave for most of the time. 

He was supposed to mentor players, adjust their techniques if required, and grow their mental faculties. But staying away from Bangladesh most of the time he did not do that. For difference of opinion with him Director (Cricket Operation) former National Capatin Nayemur Rahman Durjoy MP was changed. Another former captain and Chief Selector Farukh Ahmed resigned. But BCB always favored head coach and he enjoyed the blessings of BCB President.

There was a report in Bangladesh media during the last Sri Lanka tour of Bangladesh. 5 senior players of the team in an intimate discussion with BCB President raised some issues. Some senior players were asked to plan their exit from the team. Following that Mashrafe retired from T20. We are not sure whether BCB President discussed the issues raised by senior players with Head Coach. 

Matters got sour during Australia tour of Bangladesh. Two quality players Mahmudullah and Mominul were not included in the squad. However, following hue and cry from media Mominul was redrafted. But internal bleeding went on. Bangladesh managed to win first test but as a team batted very poorly and lost a golden opportunity of winning the test series against strong Australia.

Then without proper preparation Bangladesh went to South Africa. The top all rounder Shakib was allowed to rest for the all important test series. Bangladesh made the blunder of opting of bowl after winning toss in both the test. Mushfiq was perhaps heavily dictated by team management. Even very polite Mushfiq was seen fuming in media interviews. Against a very strong team on the surface it is impossible for an underdog perform when their camp was burning in disunity.

BCB President mentioned recently that Head Coach wanted to resign during the tour. If so why it was not taken seriously?  Why he was not asked to return with the team and report? He was a paid employee and must not have been allowed to work as he pleased.
Now that he resigned and presumably for an offer in Sri Lanka he must complete all his remaining task. Huge remuneration he got from Bangladesh. He has accountability to tell the nation what went wrong in South Africa? He must also clarify why he thinks 

Mominul is tagged as test player only or Nasir does not possess international class? He must also explain why he could not have a settled batting order in any format? He must also explain why Taskin, Rubel and Mustafiz lack consistency? He must also explain why the batting order of Mahmudullah was shuffled regularly? 

BCB must not try persuading an unwilling horse. No one remains indispensible for any thing, anywhere at anytime. Definitely Hathurusingha is not indispensible for Bangladesh Cricket. Bangladesh cricket will move on and may grow better under a proper coach who would work within his assigned limits.

Bangladesh must use the lessons learnt from failed New Zealand and South Africa tour. Domestic cricket format must be remodeled. There must be fast bouncy wickets in some venues. All international players must appear in domestic cricket .All coaching staff must stay in Bangladesh and job description must be defined. They must remain accountable to Cricket Operation. Players must be selected on the basis of their performance in local cricket. 

Apart from national team, age group teams, development squad must be given international exposure and above all BCB President must not get involved in day to day affairs of Bangladesh cricket.

BDST: 0954 HRS, NOV 15, 2017
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