The Five Wise Men - Bangladesh Cricket's agents of change
Time moved fast, the world kept on changing, but one thing remained unchanged – the state of Bangladesh cricket. There had been flashes of brilliance, but more often the Tigers have been nothing but an ice sculpture in the desert. The state of Bangladesh cricket was a matter of joke for world cricket; and for its die-hard fans, it was an utterly frustrating ride.
Last year, the condition of Bangladesh cricket was shoddy. Controversies off the field and pathetic performances on the field had left Bangladesh in tatters and even the most ardent follower of Bangladesh cricket team was afraid to be optimistic regarding them.
But suddenly, Bangladesh have bounced back in style and has brushed away all the horrors of last year. It’s a rejuvenated unit which is free from the fears of defeat and plays with plenty of self-belief. Yes, in Test cricket the Tigers are still not able to strike gold, but in the limited-overs format they are all set to establish themselves as one of the most feared and competitive teams of world cricket.
Bangladesh cricket needed this change and at present the fans have a reason to believe and dream big. The changes have been inspiring and it would not have been possible without the men below. Yes, a change is not possible without the collective effort of everyone, but some people’s contributions remain extremely significant:
1. Chandika Hathurusingha
On May 2014, BCB released Shane Jurgensen with immediate effect from his contract as the Tigers’ coach. Jurgensen had resigned in late April, but it was expected that he would stay in the job till the end of the proposed ODI series against India in June last year, giving the BCB a chance to find a replacement. Bangladesh cricket was in hot soup during that time and BCB was in need of a coach who would be able to fix a disorganized unit efficiently.
BCB appointed Chandika Hathurusingha as the coach of the Tigers. Chandika’s initial journey was rocky, but he was able to stabilize a disorganized unit quite quickly. Chandika instilled self-belief among the boys and made the team realize the importance of hard work. He injected strict professionalism in the team, allowing no place for indiscipline.
He has always shown care about tiny details of each and every player and provided the boys with constructive advices.
2. Heath Streak
Pace bowling has always been a worry for Bangladesh. While the spinners kept on essaying success after success, Bangladeshi pace bowlers were found wanting most of the time. Pacers were lacking proper guidance. To make the pacers productive, Heath Streak was appointed as the bowling coach of Bangladesh. And his appointment was another masterstroke.
Heath Streak’s hard work has reaped a rich harvest. The current Bangladeshi pacers not only bowl with nagging line and incisive length, but are able to generate good pace and fetch wickets consistently.
Who would have ever thought that Bangladesh would play four pacers in a home series? But at present, it’s the pace bowlers and not the spinners who are proving to be the strike force to devour the opposition’s batters. Heath Streak deserves plenty of credit for this.
3. Mashrafe Mortaza
On September 2014, for the first time, BCB introduced split captaincy. Mashrafe Mortaza was appointed as the captain of the one-day team while Musfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan were appointed as the Test and Twenty20 captains respectively. Mashrafe’s previous stint as the captain was not very happy. Injuries always impaired his progress as the captain, but Mash is of the rare breed who never gives up.
Tactically, Mashrafe is not a gifted captain, but his ability to maintain unity within the team is praiseworthy. He has been able to cut short the big egos in the team and establish his full authority over his men not only as a leader but also as a brother and close friend. Mash is loved by all and each and every member of the team follows his advice.
Moreover, he has gelled very well with the coach and has been able to create a fine understanding which is proving fruitful for Bangladesh cricket.
4. Bangladesh selectors
Selectors are meant to be noticed when only when they get the team selection wrong. And most of the times, the Bangladeshi selectors find themselves as the subject of heavy bashing by the critics and fans. The Bangladeshi selectors have always been accused of nepotism, but they proved everyone wrong by injecting some young talents in the team.
Even though there are rumors that an ideal understanding between the coach, captain and selectors is lacking, but success would not have been possible if that sound understanding didn’t exist. The selectors must be thanked for giving opportunities to players like Soumya Sarkar, Litton Das and Mustafizur Rahman whose lively presence have given the team a new dimension.
5. Nazmul Hassan
Last but not the least. Last year Bangladesh Cricket Board chief Nazmul Hassan earned plenty of criticism regarding the Big 3 issue. Moreover, his actions against Bangladesh’s ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan had put him in the soup. Bangladesh’s pathetic results on the field and various controversies off the field had put a big question mark over his abilities as the chief of BCB.
But, he didn’t lose his composure and kept on taking brave decisions amid tougher circumstances. Bangladesh cricket owes a lot to Nazmul Hassan for his ability to manage tricky situations and ability to take bolder steps when needed.