The newly elected president of Bangladesh cricket Board (BCB), Faruque Ahmed has made his mind clear about Chandika Hathurusinghe’s time as head coach coming near its end. Faruque had previously expressed concerns about Hathurusinghe, even before he had the office. Faruque once again stated that Bangladesh needs a new leader before the upcoming tournaments.
“I am yet to find out about Chandika Hathurusinghe’s contract,” Faruque told reporters. “I have to see some stuff officially, but I have not moved from my previous stance. I need to speak to my colleagues in the next two or three days and see if we can find someone better than him. We need to prepare a shortlist and see who is willing to join us.”
Hathurusinghe’s current contract is till February 2025, which aligns with the ending of Champions Trophy. Even after being brought back for a second time in 2023, his time period has been marked by internal issues within the team.
The cricketing ties of Bangladesh have fluctuated, and the positivity that followed leadership of Steve Rhodes and Russell Domingo has gone down. Faruque sent some criticism on the decision to reappoint Hathurusinghe, saying that his exit in 2017 caused Bangladesh to be in a difficult position.
“It was a real blunder to bring back Hathurusinghe for a second stint,” Faruque stated. “He left us in trouble the last time he resigned. Bangladesh was a stepping stone for him; he returned to his country and became their head coach. I couldn’t believe that a 25-member board, including the president, could make such a decision. I hope they are now realizing their mistake.”
