…BCB Needs Overhauling…

…BCB Needs Overhauling……Saleque Sufi…

Talks of changes have emerged and are being discussed loudly in Bangladesh sports arena in Cricket administration following the disastrous performance of Bangladesh in all format of cricket for almost a year now. BCB as a team is not functioning. One or two persons there cannot and must not be singled out the entire BCB team does not appear to have been functioning with the expected team spirit .The impacts of this is evident everywhere. The player selection, team management, providing required mentoring and support to team in ongoing crisis all seem to be falling apart. In this situation BCB required open heart surgery not any cosmetic treatment through making one or two persons scape goat.

Captain Mushfique talked about change .BCB President talked about change. Who will bring the changes? How the required changes will be identified? Cricket is a professional game .Starting from players, selectors, directors no one is working voluntarily. Everyone gets remuneration and salary .If any Engineer, any Doctor or any other professional can be punished, can be sacked for nonperformance why that cannot happen for cricket. But for cricket before taking any action against player one must see whether they have been given the right environment to play , whether they are getting the required mentoring and guidance .These are the job of teal management and coaching team .

While critically analyzing Bangladesh Cricket team’s performance over a year or so we must not forget that the same team performed so admirably in not too distant past. But why their performance is on diminishing return? What are the issues and challenges? Players play the matches. Winning or losing is not of primary concern .Whether the team is playing like a well-oiled machine, whether they are playing like a committed unit, playing to their potential should be what needs to look into. We do not believe one director or one person can be held responsible for this. It has to be a coordinated effort of BCB management .All must have a common focus, common goal. If not no individual effort will bring any meaningful change and crisis will continue.

We are getting information from media gossip that the role of Akram Khan as Director Cricket Operation is under scrutiny.But we have to honestly evaluate what is the plan, what is the operating strategy of BCB? He can only operate within approved strategy, approved plan. Here you need coordinated planning, coordinated team work. BCB has as many as six Ex Bangladesh National Captains in and around them. Akram, Farukh, Sujon, Sumon, Nanno and Durjoy .All six of them made significant contribution as player for bringing cricket to this level. But I am not very sure of their proven capacity as Cricket organizer or administrator. Other key persons in the board are ex-cricketers Mahabub Anam and Jalal Yunus. If this combination fail to deliver like what is happening one must critically diagnose from the symptoms and before operating find the right medicine to cure.

The team appears to be panicked. Players appear to be scared. They are serious mental blocks. Though Bangladesh cricket in early years had to go through this phase this team did not go through such experience before. Otherwise the team which competed so well against Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India, New Zealand and West Indies only a tear or so before cannot repeatedly make the same mistakes. Team management is failing to guide the team. Their tutoring is not working.

In West Indies tour selection of playing eleven was not only inappropriate but extremely poor. There was no logic of selecting eleven without proper game plan. We are not very sure whether captain had freedom in taking decisions after winning the toss or setting the batting order .We did not see Mushfique making and repeating so many mistakes before .May be he was dictated and he had to oblige .Now him not being available to play in Asiad Mashrafee has been given charge and without assessing the possible impact on Mushy and the team BCB is talking about different captains in different format.

There cannot any question about capability, commitment of Mashrafee as a captain. We are sure under his inspiring leadership Bangladesh will leave nothing unturned to successfully defend its title as God Medalist in Cricket from Asian Games . But in crisis time it is not proper about talking about changing the captain with World Cup Knocking on the door.

One of major complain in the BCB management is lack of unity .Not that every decision maker agree with major decisions BCB had taken in the recent past. There are gossips about unity of the team. BCB must not add fuel to the flame in the team if there is really any through disputing captaincy issue. Mushfique is an essential player in all format of the game .We has to see and judge how independent he is in taking his own decision .You cannot expect someone swim across English Channel tying his hands and legs.

If any change has to come it has to be selection committee and team management .We have seen marked improvement in bowling meaning that Heath Streak influence is visible .Batting looks fragile and collapse prone . Key players have attitude and fitness issues. This means head coach and fitness coach are not delivering. We must look into this matter.

Without making cosmetic changes some authority above BCB must evaluate performance of entire BCB and create an environment of monitoring and evaluation. The role of BCB President, Directors, Selection Committee, Team Management and the team require critical evaluation before bringing any fundamental changes.

Bangladesh is expected to win Gold from Asiad and White Wash Zimabawe at home. Anything less must be regarded as a failure. There will be very little time left after Zimabawe tour for bringing major changes in the team and team administration. We hope the concerned authority realizes their challenges at hand and behave professionally. BCB needs complete overhauling and not minor servicing .