There will be some important decisions about cricketers: Faruque Ahmed

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) will take a decision regarding all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan as his habit of skipping practice sessions ahead of any International series left the board in an awkward position on several occasions.

Shakib Al Hasan was supposed to return home from Canada after playing Global T20. But he directly joined the team in Pakistan. The unrest in the country and his safety issue was the reason this time but he did the same many times in his career.

On many occasions he skipped the important practice session for shooting TV commercials or for his business purpose. On several instances he didn’t take part in official photo shoots ahead of important tournaments, like he was absent in World Cup photo shoots.

The newly-elected BCB president Faruque Ahmed said that he is keen to add some policies regarding players’ behaviour and activities to stop such incidents.

“Whether Shakib can do it is a matter to see, we will look at it very seriously,” he said Wednesday.

There was a lot of discussion about whether or not Shakib will be in the team for the Pakistan series. However, the board was in favour of him because the situation was not normal this time.

Now the board will discuss Shakib’s future after the Pakistan series.

Chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu earlier said that Shakib will be available for Bangladesh in all eight Tests this year.

“I have actually said about Shakib, the board has some policies. I will discuss this with the directors, what should be the policy regarding Shakib Al Hasan,” Faruque said.

“I will discuss with the board what is the condition of Shakib now, whether he can continue like this or not. Of course it depends on what happens after the two Test matches in Pakistan. Then it will be a board’s policy matter.”

“The chief selector gave an interview which I liked very much. If he had been told by the board not to pick him (for the Pakistan series), it would have been a matter of policy. He (chief selector) would have given the responsibility to the board, as it (the policy) was not there, Shakib has stepped in.”

“There will be some more important decisions about the cricketers. There will be well-defined guidelines on what a cricketer can and cannot do during a series or tour,” Faruque said.

“Some rules will be added regarding the players. What they can do, what they can’t do, I discussed informally before entering here today (Wednesday).”

“Especially during the tour, before and after the tour, there will be a decision like what the cricketers can and can’t do. If it is written clearly, the players can’t take part in any shooting during the tour. Then no one will come to you for it. If it is clearly written, then it will be beneficial.”

The newly appointed BCB president cleared the air regarding head coach Chandika Hathurusingha, stating that his stance on the veteran coach still hasn’t changed.

The former Bangladesh skipper on many TV talk shows and interviews said he would remove the Sri Lankan coach if he was to take the charge.

Asked whether he had the same stance on Hathurusingha, Faruque nodded  positively, saying that he maintained the same point of view.

“I am not exactly aware about the contract with Chandika Hathurusingha. But I have the same stance (about removing Hathurusingha) still,” Faruque told reporters at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

“But I have to consider a few things officially. Whether we can find someone better than him or someone of equal calibre is something we will have to see. I still have the same stand (on Hathurusingha).”

Faruque and Hathurusingha are at loggerheads in 2014-2016, which was the first term of the coach and the second term of Faruque as chief selector.

To appease Hathurusingha the then BCB president Nazmul Hassan formed a two-tier selection process that gave the head coach a licence to interfere in selection issues. And Hathurusingha used his power to disturb Faruque. That was the reason that led Faruque to resign from the BCB.

Hathurusingha, who is in his second term in Bangladesh as coach, is in Pakistan with the team for a two-match Test series.

He, however, said in a press conference in Rawalpindi that he would accept whichever direction the board takes regarding his role as head coach.

As per the contract, Hathurusingha would get a full salary of two years of his service if he is sacked.

Faruque Ahmed said his first and foremost task would be to take the country’s cricket forward.

“The goal is big. We have to work together to take the country’s cricket forward,” he said here today while addressing the media.

“We have to work in many areas. As you know the work has been done for a long time but there are many questions. We have to address those issues. We want to move forward as a country and as a cricketing nation. The task would be easier if we consider ourselves as a team and if we give our team a top priority without prioritising the individuals. Let’s not be diverted,” he added.

Faruque Ahmed is the first former cricketer to be elected as board president after Nazmul Hassan stepped down from his post in an emergency meeting Wednesday.

Eight board directors were present in the meeting, held at the conference room of the Youth and Sports Ministry. Faruque Ahmed and Nazmul Abedin Fahim replaced Jalal Yunus and Ahmed Sajjadul Alam Bobby as the NSC nominated directors for the Cricket Board.

As Nazmul resigned from his role, the directors who present in the meeting, exercised their vote to elect Faruque as the president as per BCB constitution.

Faruque, also a former skipper, who led the side in the ICC trophy in 1994, served BCB as the chief selector twice -firstly from 2003-2007.

During his first tenure, he unleashed the cricketing talents like Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim, who made Bangladesh cricket a giant.

He later served the board as chief selector again in 2013-2016 but resigned from his post after the then BCB president Papon formed a two-tier selection panel that gave the head coach an unnecessary power to interfere in the selection process.

Faruque vowed that he will give everyone the freedom to work independently after his bitter experience at the board. But at the same time, he cautioned that everyone will be questionable for their work.

“I can assure you that I won’t interfere in anyone’s work. But every one will be under tight scrutiny for what they have done. We will give everyone time for a bigger success but if not the success comes, you have to be responsible for this. As a president I can give some suggestions but that’s not something that the concerned person will have to value,” he added.

“I want the cricket team to brighten the image of the country. Let’s not just stick with small things. We have to plan for a bigger goal. I can’t change everything overnight. I don’t even know how long I will be here. But cricket will be my first priority.”

Faruque said he wants to build a system through which there will be no scope to do any corruption.

“I resigned from the BCB, protesting about the corrupted system. We’ll look after that but you can’t uproot the practices of corruption overnight. We have to build a system, we have to execute a plan through which there will be no opportunity to do any corruption.”

Asked where he wants to see Bangladesh cricket as per ICC rankings, Faruque said, “As I said earlier, I want cricket to stand tall. It’s not that I will be happy with sudden success. If we play five tight matches and then win the sixth and seventh matches, I will consider it a success.”