Despite the lack of quality domestic cricket quality cricketers are emerging in plenty in Bangladesh. But crazy selection and biased attitudes of senior policy makers has already created uncertainties in the career of some top quality cricketers. Many believes that Bangladesh could perform much better if the selection process could be based on pure merit and performance. We are not talking about ignoring Shahriar Nafees, Tushar Imran , Naeem Islam , Nasir Hossain , Al Amin Hossain now. Let us discuss about the selection fiasco of the team now in Sri Lanka . No one will disagree if I say Mehedi Miraj is one of the most impact player in Bangladesh team now with his top quality spin bowling, strong late order batting and excellent fielding. He was the steadiest performer in recent times in test cricket. Who did not know that Sri Lanka has several left handed batsmen in their batting line up? Still why he was sent home after the test series when he already proved a success against Sri Lankan batsmen specially the left handers? All wondered why most ordinary Shubhagato Hom was preferred over him and other proven quality performer Nasir Hossain for the ODI and T20 series. Now after terribly poor bowling and batting by Shubhagato selectors have sent back Mehedi Miraj to Sri Lanka again.
One must pity the thoughts and planning process of Bangladeshi selectors. BCB President and his favoured BCB directors and officials are in Sri Lanka Safari now. BCB boss himself often appears as head coach, main selector by his series of contradictory and confusing media statements. We are not sure how Bangladesh cricket is being benefitted from the visit of the most ordinary cricket administrators at state expense (BCB money)? But through selection dilemma Bangladesh cricket think tank has already proved as jokers.
Cricket is played by cricketers. It is Tamim, Shakib , Mushfique , Mashrafee , Mahmudullah, Mominul, Mustafiz , Mehedi , Shabbir , Soumya , Nasir, Taskin , Rubel who have brought glories.Bangladesh is not like Australia ,India or South Africa that it can afford different teams for different formats . Some players can continue performing steadily over longer durations . Others may experience occasional drop in form. They do not deserve axing and humiliation straightaway. In recent times some responsible persons talked non sense about commitments of players like Mushfique, Shakib and other senior players. Shakib, Tamim and Mushfique have slapped them with brilliant performances. Mushfique is best Bangladeshi batsman in all format now. In Colombo test he kept brilliantly as well. Shakib looked irrigated for reasons he best known to him for a while. But he came back to his own in Colombo test. Mahmudullah lost form for a while. He has proved his class time and again. He was by far the best Bangladeshi batsman in the last world cup and performed steadily in all formats. Resting him for Colombo test was OK. But team Manager talked non sense about him and preparation was there to send him back home. Fortunately good senses prevailed. He stayed and appeared in the lone preparatory match leading to ODI series . Can Bangladesh look a balanced team without Mahmudullah ? Is he not an automatic choice ? Then how one will explain the thoughts of sending him home? Even Captain Mashrafee said, “Champion Mahmudullah will return like champion.”
We feel sorry for little genius Mominul Huq . He is undoubtedly a top quality batsman slotted at number three. He has been wrongly branded as test player only. For a very exceptional case this year Bangladesh plays significant numbers of tests. In other years it plays only few. Quality player like Mominul cannot flourish playing only few test matches. Form is temporary but class is permanent. Mominul is a class act and deserves much better treatment. Bangladesh juggles with number three position in all formats. Mominul could settle as quality number three batsman in all format if treated appropriately.
Now coming back about much talked about Nasir. If he can be the vice-captain of Bangladesh team in the emerging cup (an ICC tournament) he definitely does not have any disciplinary issue. By playing quality alone he can walk into the Bangladesh team at least in the limited over version at number seven for his dynamic batting, more than useful bowling and excellent fielding.
Bangladesh cricket is now on the threshold of major turnaround. Little known politically officials do not fit appropriately at the helm of affairs now. Cricket has come to this stage through commitment and sacrifices of many. We who witnessed the commitments of early birds of Bangladesh feel strongly that Bangladesh cricket administration needs through overhauling bringing in transparency and accountability at all levels. The earlier that is done the better.
The success of 100 th test must not eclipse the series of wrong doings by the cricket administrators. The ODI series against Sri Lanka is a great opportunity for advancing Bangladesh cause for automatic qualification for the next ICC world Cup. Bangladesh has definitely potential for winning and even white washing Sri Lanka. None less than Arjuna Ranatunga also felt the same.
Return of Miraj has created opportunity for playing with three pacers and two spinners at least in the first ODI . In that case, the team may be Tamim, Soumya, Sabbir, Mahmudullah, Shakib, Mushfique, Mosdaddek, Miraz, Mashrafee, Taskin /Rubel and Mustafiz.
BDST: 1248 HRS, MAR 24, 2017
EHJ
