Salahuddin rejects favouritism talk as BCB remains coy over his future

During an impromptu press conference in Dhaka on July 14, BCB president Aminul Islam was asked about Bangladesh's national senior assistant coach Mohammad Salahuddin and how he has fared in the national setup. Salahuddin, appointed last November initially as assistant coach and later handed the batting coach role, has come under pressure after the team's poor run over the past nine months.

"Firstly I feel our batting coach Mohammad Salahuddin is doing quite well and in the midst of the series, I won't like to make a comment. We will see after the series," Aminul said.

"Batting is something you have to learn. Whether it's domestic cricket, playing within a structured system, or gaining experience on different wickets, all these factors combined make batting a challenging task. I believe all coaches are important, but a batting coach's role is somewhat like that of a doctor.

"They have to diagnose the problem and provide the right remedy. That's why a batting coach is absolutely essential. The cricket coaching manual says that on the first ball you should play a front foot defense. But in the T20 format, it's completely different. This is where dynamic or versatile coaching comes in, and playing various formats helps. You master these skills," he added.

Aminul was responding just a couple of days after chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain publicly stated that the board is actively looking to appoint a batting coach, strongly suggesting Salahuddin could soon be replaced.

Salahuddin, meanwhile, addressed the issue directly during a press conference ahead of Bangladesh's series-deciding T20I against Sri Lanka in Colombo. "I'm a coach. If you tell me to go and coach an Under-13 side, I have no problem. I don't carry a tag that I must be with the national team," he said.

"If someone better comes (in the role of a batting coach), it will be for the team. The Bangladesh team is not the property of my father and grandfather," he said. "I will get criticised when I don't do well, I will get praised when I do well. It is the reality. Whether I give 100% for my team, whether I am honest or not, is the main concern," he added.

Recent media reports have claimed that Salahuddin has a significant influence on team decisions, including selections and player roles. He has long-standing ties with several key players, including Shakib Al Hasan, and is seen as a mentor figure within the group. But he did not take kindly to the suggestions and accusations of favouritism.

"After coaching for 27-28 years, I am hearing that there are lots of complaints in the team against me. I really would like to know about those complaints. Best if it was given to me in writing. You have to provide hard evidence. It will help me correct myself," he said.

"If I feel that the team needs a change for the good of the team, I will most likely do that. Our team has been losing regularly, so how will I benefit from favouritism?" he added. "After 27-28 years of coaching, if someone says there are serious allegations against me, at least tell me what they are. Don't make vague claims without evidence. If there's proof, it helps the coach too - he can improve from it," he said.

"Maybe I'm just mentally strong. Otherwise, many others would have crumbled by now. And it's not like I have to work here. I've got other things to do. I didn't chase this job. I'm here because I thought I could help the team improve - even a little bit."

Salahuddin went on to defend himself further, stating that he was open to being removed if he wasn't a good coach.

"We don't have the luxury of success right now. The team is regularly losing. What benefit would I get from showing favouritism? This isn't a winning side where I could just slip someone into the XI without question. We're not playing good cricket. As a team member, of course I want the team to succeed," he said.

"But I know myself. I know if I'm honest in my position. If I'm not a good coach, the board is free to remove me - I won't object. But you can't just write things without justification. That's not right. You need to ask if someone is honest or dishonest."

Salahuddin arrived with hopes of changing the culture around local coaches in Bangladesh, who often struggle to find space in the national setup. But signs of impatience from the board are becoming clearer. Whether he keeps his post or not remains to be seen. But for now, he's in a better position than former coach Khaled Mahmud, who was removed from the setup after an ODI series defeat to Sri Lanka in 2019, despite leading the team as interim head coach.

Salahuddin, who has spent nearly three decades shaping cricketers, took on the batting coach role during the West Indies tour - a responsibility added to his original role as senior assistant coach, brought in to support head coach Phil Simmons. Whether he'll be given time to build the hunger and mindset he wants to instil in this team is a question that, for now, has no clear answer.