After rounds of drama and speculations, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has confirmed Chandika Hathurusighe as the new head coach of the Bangladesh cricket team.

Chandika, a former Sri Lankan batsman, previously served as the team's coach from 2014 to 2017. He has now signed a two-year contract with the BCB, starting from February 2023.

In his first assignment as the head coach of Bangladesh, Chandika will face the reigning world champions, England, in March in Bangladesh.

BCB President Nazamul Hasan announced on Tuesday that Chandika will be the head coach of Bangladesh for all formats of cricket in his new stint. This marks a departure from the previous stance of the BCB, which had two separate coaches for different formats.

It was previously expected that Sridharan Sriram, a former Indian cricketer, would remain as the coach of Bangladesh for T20Is. However, with the BCB president  confirming Chandika as the head coach for all formats, Sriram's future with the Bangladesh team remains unclear.

Chandika expressed his excitement at the opportunity to return to Bangladesh cricket and coach the national team again. He said that he loved the warmth of the people and the culture of Bangladesh during his previous stay.

“It’s an honour to have been given this opportunity to coach the Bangladesh national team once again,” he was quoted in a press release of BCB. 

BCB CEO Nizam Uddin Chowdhury welcomed the new head coach, pointing out that Chandika’s experience with and knowledge of Bangladesh cricket would be a significant advantage for the team.

He added that Chandika’s reputation as a proven tactician was well-deserved, and his previous tenure has produced remarkable results, including ODI series wins against Pakistan, India, and South Africa, a quarterfinal appearance in the 2015 World Cup, and Test victories against England, Australia, and Sri Lanka.

Chandika takes over from South African Russell Domingo as the head coach of the Bangladesh cricket team.