- Nasima Akter
Chandika Hathurusingha's Return Causes Mixed Reactions
On Tuesday, Chandika Hathurusigha was reappointed as Bangladesh coach. Hathurushiga last worked as the head coach of the Bangladesh national cricket team between 2014 and 2017. Following his reappointment, there was a mix of reactions from different people in the cricket community.
Reportedly, many felt that the BCB was hasty to dispose of Rhodes after the 2019 World Cup while Domingo resigned after being put in an untenable position due to the board's criticism of his coaching style.
Opinions Voices About Chandika Hathurusingha's Return
There were plenty of people who voiced different opinions on Hathurusingha’s return as an all-format coach for Bangladesh. In one interview with Jalal Yunus, the BCB's cricket operations chairman, he said:
"He has worked here before so he won't need a lot of time to adjust here. He knows the players and the environment. He is a good coach. He has the quality that's needed for the players. He has always shown interest in Bangladesh cricket. I hope this time he will stay long and keep the contractual commitment. Judging by what he has told us, we expect him to work dedicatedly for the two years."
While the BCB was positive about the coach’s return, there were some sceptical about Hathurusingha's reappointment. These people include former Bangladesh chief selector Faruque Ahmed and former captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza.
Ahmed had served as a chief selector during Hathurusingha's previous term. He voiced in one interview that Hathurusingha's inclusion was unwise. It’s reported that Faruque believes that more than performance, the team atmosphere has to be solid.
Mashrafe, on the other hand, had recently questioned the manner of Hathurusingha's exit in an interview, although he felt the coach may be able to do things in a new way.
Explanation Behind Hathurusingha's Reappointment
According to sources, BCB president Nazmul Hassan personally handled the appointment of Chandika Hathurusingha as the coach of the Bangladesh national team. It is reported that Hathurusingha was on BCB's wishlist for a long time, even after he resigned from the post in October 2017 and went to work for Sri Lanka.
During Hathurusingha’s time as coach, Bangladesh qualified for the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy and directly qualified for the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup. Additionally, he produced positive results at home against South Africa, Pakistan, India, and England, and 2015 remains Bangladesh's best-ever World Cup campaign.
The announcement of Hathrusingha’s return was made four weeks after Russell Domingo resigned and followed suggestions from the board that they were looking for a new coach.
When talking about his reappointment, the coach stated, "It's an honor to have been given this opportunity to coach the Bangladesh national team once again."
"I really loved the warmth of the people and the culture of Bangladesh whenever I have been there. I'm looking forward to working with the players once again and enjoy their successes," he added.
The coach has signed a two-year deal and will arrive in Dhaka between February 18 and 20, a week before Bangladesh plays England in a three-match ODI series from March 1.
