Cricbuzz reports that Bangladesh captain  Mominul isn’t feeling any heat after the disastrous losses to South Africa in the 2-Test series. We are no stranger to losing in any format but the two miserable defeats coming in the wake of the historic ODI series win hit hard for many. That apparently doesn’t include the cricket establishment too much, whether Mominul or BCB.  It’s great, but what else exists beyond that? The captain has apparently taken the defeats in stride and many, including Mashrafe bin Mortaza have lent him support. So has the Board and so no axing worry is haunting him which is good. But the point is what’s on offer beyond grit and optimism on display?. What next Charlie Brown ? Read: ICC Test Championship 2023: Mominul Haque among the best all-around performances From various media reports one gathers that Mominul like others think we are not great playing spin players. That is no secret. We have also heard that we are not great pace ball players either.  But what has been done about it including going over. Does it make our ODI win accidents ? The spin of bowls and words The explanation that the wickets in New Zealand and South Africa were different and so a different approach adopted is obvious.  It was not one of studious defense but to be a bit aggressive. This is spot on. But where did getting out in a hurry by following it a good strategy ?  Where was Plan B ? If it was supposed to make South African spinners feel out of sorts and bowl badly, that isn’t exactly what happened.  Aggression is fine if it gets runs and not serves wickets to the bowlers. Mominul may be under pressure for not scoring a whole lot of runs but that is not an issue. Any player can go through a slim patch but when the entire team goes through one, that deserves worrying.  Bangladesh cricket’s lack of worry is worrying. Under Mominul, Bangladesh has won 3 out of the 15 Tests played. That’s not great, so why? And how to get out of this? Read: BRAC at 50 : What about the next 10? “Bangladesh team director Khaled Mahmud told Cricbuzz that he is seeing Mominul developing as a leader.“  This is very positive and one does hope that it continues but the bonhomie in the team and management hasn’t exactly resulted in quality results in at least T20s and Tests. BCB must know why?  When a captain fails, that’s one thing and when everyone fails twice in a row and in the way we did, alarm bells should ring.  Perhaps, the cricket board needs to have a much wider strategy treating the platforms for the three formats separately. BCB doesn’t have a major cricket policy other  than hearing high intensity optimism. Any policy if it exists is unclear and so is the applied/ practical framework.  If Bangladesh is doing so badly in T 20 and Tests, there should be real answers to real questions. And just a few hints at solutions, beyond what seems like forced optimism. 

After days of uncertainty and dramatic turns, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Saturday confirmed that allrounder Shakib Al Hasan will be available for the South Africa tour for a three-match ODI and two-match Test series.  “We have talked to Shakib today. He is available for the South Africa tour. He will take a flight tomorrow,” Nazmul Hasan, the BCB president, told the media on Saturday at Mirpur when Shakib was standing beside him.  The South Africa tour will begin with the ODI series with the first match is scheduled to take place on March 18.  READ: I want to become world’s best bowler, says a confident Taskin Bangladesh will play at least 14 ODIs, 15 T20Is and eight Tests in 2022. So it will be tough for the senior players to take part in all these matches. Considering their workload, they may take rest, said Nazmul.  “We have to remember that the senior players go through tremendous pressure. It’s tough for our senior players to play all these matches. It’s true. We have to understand it. I believe the players need some break,” the BCB president added.  During the third ODI against Afghanistan, Shakib told the board president that he is available for the South Africa tour. But after the announcement of the squads, he said he is not mentally fit to play international cricket for now.  He also said that he needs some break from cricket. According to his condition, BCB had approved a two-month leave for him as well. But as per the latest move, he is not going to take any leave.  “We, myself and the board president, have discussed many things over the last three days. We have now finalized a year-long plan. Since I’m contracted to play all three formats, I will be available for the same. The board will decide when it’s required to rest me, and I’m also available from this South Africa tour,” Shakib told the media.  The allrounder also said he is feeling good mentally and he would be in a better situation after going to a better environment in South Africa.  All the members of the Bangladesh team who are in the squads for the South Africa tour, have already left Dhaka in different groups. Shakib will now have to travel alone.  This is not the first time when chaos took place regarding Shakib’s foreign tour. In 2017, Shakib missed the Test part of the South Africa tour. He also missed the last two tours of New Zealand. The allrounder also skipped a series against Sri Lanka to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Bangladesh star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan is all set  to skip the South Africa tour, confirmed Jalal Yunus, the chairman of the cricket operation department of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). “I have talked to Shakib today and asked about his plan. He said he is unfit mentally and physically. He is reluctant to tour to South Africa,” Jalal told the media on Wednesday. Read: BCB can't run after Shakib: Khaled Mahmud He also said the board has decided to Shakib until the end of April.  “I along with the board president, CEO and other board directors decided to rest him as he has been suffering from mental and physical fatigue. He will now be out of all forms of cricket,” Jalal added.  It means the all-rounder might be available for the Dhaka Premier Divison Cricket League. Shakib is supposed to play for Mohammedan Sporting Club in this 50-over event in Dhaka.  “He told the media that he is not mentally fit to play now. Now can you force someone to play who is not fit? We had told him to take a few days to think more. He now told us that he is not set to play,” Jalal added.  BCB has recently announced two squads for the tour of South Africa where Bangladesh are scheduled to play a three-match ODI and two-match Test series. Shakib was part of the squads.  Read: Is Shakib Al Hasan Considering Retirement? However, on Sunday, Shakib said he is not in a condition to play international cricket at the moment due to mental and physical fatigue.   At the same time, the 34-year-old all-rounder said he likes to focus more on white-ball cricket instead of red-ball cricket.  It’s not clear if Shakib will nbe available for all formats after this hiatus. “He will return home tomorrow (Thursday) from the UAE. After that, he wants to sit with the board to discuss further his future plan,” Jalal added.  This is not the first time Shakib is skipping a foreign tour. Earlier, he skipped the Test series in South Africa in 2017. He also skipped the last two tours to New Zealand, and he also skipped a series against Sri Lanka to take part in the Indian Premier League (IPL).  Khaled Mahmud, the former captain of Bangladesh and the current board director, has recently said the senior players like Shakib, Mushfiqur (Rahim), Tamim (Iqbal), and Mahmudullah (Riyad) are at the end of their career, so the board should introduce new faces who could serve the nation for a longer time.  “We have to accept this truth,” he told the media on Tuesday. “If Shakib doesn't want to play, the board doesn't care about it. We have to bring new players to the fore.”