Bangladesh 2.0?
While change may be in the air in Bangladesh and Bangladesh cricket, there is no guarantee that it will be for the better.
There's a saying that goes, the more things change the more they remain the same. That is perhaps the case with Bangladesh's cricket team at the moment as they succumbed to a humiliating 273-run innings defeat against South Africa on day 3 of the Chattogram Test. It meant that the Tigers lost the series 2-0 and are yet to defeat the Proteas in this format.
Before this series began, Bangladesh had suspended and then sacked previous head coach Chandika Hathurusingha after the Test and T20I series defeat against India in India. Just before that though, Bangladesh had gotten their first-ever Test series win against Pakistan away under this Sri Lankan coach.
The former Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hassan Papon and as many as 14 BCB members from the previous board that were affiliated with the Awami League were also changed.
With the fall of the previous board, which coincided with the fall of the previous government, people expected change, but that was not to be.
There is talk that all-format captain Najmul Hossain Shanto wants to relinquish the job now, basically more change that the majority of fans want.
The fans wanted Papon and Hathurusingha gone too, but that hasn't improved the results.
After the match, Shanto put on a brave face in the press box and spoke about enjoying captaincy.
"I've always said this, even during my age-level cricket days: I genuinely enjoy this role. In the last few series, I've really enjoyed myself on the field," he said after the disappointing defeat.
But the same Shanto did not come for the pre-match presser before the 2nd Test and instead Taijul Islam came.
That was when the reports came of Shanto wanting to leave captaincy.
While change may be in the air in Bangladesh and Bangladesh cricket, there is no guarantee that it will be for the better.