BCB under fire: Shakib's farewell fumble and Hathurusingha's ouster

In the aftermath of a government overhaul, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) followed suit, Faruque Ahmed replaced the long-standing Nazmul Hassan Papon as president, vowing to restructure and revitalize Bangladesh cricket. Yet just months into Faruque's tenure, the BCB finds itself drowning in chaos, embroiled in controversy, and riddled with incompetence.

The much-anticipated "new era" for Bangladesh cricket has instead seen early signs of collapse. Some argue that Faruque and his administration have already proven themselves incapable. Their first few major decisions have been nothing short of disastrous, with two monumental failures standing out above the rest: the disgraceful handling of the greatest cricketer Bangladesh has ever produced, Shakib Al Hasan, and the highly questionable sacking of head coach Chandika Hathurusingha.

Shakib, the indisputable GOAT of Bangladesh cricket, had made it clear he wanted to bid farewell to Test cricket on home soil, a fitting tribute for a player who has almost single-handedly carried the nation's cricketing hopes on his shoulders for over a decade. But the BCB has managed to bungle even this. Shakib had initially announced his Test retirement during Bangladesh's tour of India, and while his participation in a final home Test remained uncertain, the government stepped in, promising the nation's beloved all-rounder the utmost security to see his career off in style.

In a shocking twist, as political unrest intensified, the same government advised Shakib to stay away from the country. Meanwhile, the BCB—supposed guardians of the nation's cricket—stood idly by, silent and indifferent. With Faruque Ahmed and CEO Nizam Uddin Chowdhury off attending an ICC meeting in Dubai, no one at the BCB took charge. 

A source within the board admitted that they hadn't received a clear directive on Shakib's return. No decision was made, no contingency plans discussed. The lack of leadership, clarity, and professionalism shown in this debacle is nothing short of disgraceful. How can the board allow its greatest player to face such uncertainty in his twilight hour?

Then comes the fiasco surrounding Chandika Hathurusingha's dismissal. After signing a contract that was supposed to run until the 2025 Champions Trophy, Hathurusingha was unceremoniously axed by the BCB under the guise of "disciplinary issues." The move stemmed from an incident during the 2023 World Cup where Hathurusingha reportedly slapped Nasum Ahmed, an act the board claims was verified upon investigation.

An emergency Zoom meeting was held to finalise Hathurusingha's sacking, with Faruque Ahmed commenting, "As a former cricketer, I found these incidents painful to witness. We had no choice but to suspend him and issue a dismissal notice within 48 hours." Yet this sudden urgency raises far more questions than it answers. If Hathurusingha's conduct was so unacceptable, why did the BCB delay his dismissal until after the India series? Why was this issue left unresolved before the crucial Pakistan series? 

Was Hathurusingha's removal genuinely about discipline, or was he scapegoated for Bangladesh's poor showing in India? Had Bangladesh done well against India, would Hathurusingha got the axe? Former cricketer and national team captain Khaled Masud Pilot doesn't think so, "I think we tend to make decisions based on results. If we perform well, then we keep things as they are, even if they are problematic. But if we perform poorly, we make immediate decisions. If the result against India had been different, perhaps Hathurusingha wouldn't have been sacked right away".

Let's put this in context—under Hathurusingha's second tenure, Bangladesh won five Tests, 13 ODIs, and 19 T20s. He led the team to significant successes, including reaching the quarter-finals of the 2015 World Cup and the semi-finals of the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy. Was he flawless? Absolutely not. But the results speak for themselves, and one can't help but wonder whether his dismissal was more about politics than performance.

Chandika Hathurusingha has categorically denied the allegations of misconduct that led to his dismissal as the head coach of the Bangladesh national cricket team. In a written statement, Hathurusingha refuted claims of assaulting left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed during the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup and rejected accusations regarding taking excessive leave without permission. He also questioned the legitimacy of the accusations.

The chaos doesn't stop there. The BCB has also faced severe backlash over its decision to push forward with the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) amidst political unrest. The upcoming 11th edition of the BPL is scheduled for December, yet there is growing unease about holding the tournament in such a volatile climate. Former national captain Aminul Islam Bulbul didn't hold back in his criticism, openly questioning the necessity of the BPL at this time. In a scathing social media post, Bulbul wrote, "Why BPL? It's not what we need right now. What have we gained from 10 editions apart from corruption and millions unaccounted for?"

Bulbul, now serving as ICC's Development Manager, further criticised the BCB for focusing on a flashy T20 tournament while neglecting the foundational development of the sport. "We should be prioritising our domestic first-class structure and overall cricketing standards," he added. "A Test cricketer can adapt to all formats, but a player raised solely on T20 cricket will struggle in any other arena." His words ring true, and they highlight the deeper structural issues facing Bangladesh cricket—a problem the BCB, under Faruque's leadership, seems either unable or unwilling to address.

In a matter of weeks, what should have been a transformative period for Bangladesh cricket has devolved into a spectacle of incompetence. Just like Bulbul,Pilot also suggested that the board is failing to show any sign of progress as they promised, "In two months, I haven't seen any action plan from the new board. A roadmap is necessary. Two months isn't a short time for that. And right now, the situation is such that you need to accomplish two years' work in two months. The board hasn't shown anything of that sort yet. Despite holding so many meetings, we aren't seeing any outcome from them."

From mishandling the departure of its greatest ever player to sacking a coach who had delivered tangible success, the BCB's new leadership has stumbled at every turn. Faruque Ahmed and his team now find themselves on the back foot, and unless they can course-correct swiftly, the dreams of a new era will quickly become a nightmare.

For Bangladesh cricket to emerge from this crisis, the BCB must show a level of decisiveness, transparency, and vision that has so far been sorely lacking. Whether Faruque's administration can rise to the occasion remains to be seen, but one thing is clear—the honeymoon period is over.