Skipper alleges he was not consulted by selectors
Bangladesh’s skipper Mushfiqur Rahim took an unexpected swipe at chief selector Faruk Ahmed on Sunday for ignoring him while selecting the squad for the forthcoming Asia Cup.
The wicketkeeper-batsman could not stop from showing his frustration during a press conference at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel. ‘It’s difficult to say if I am happy,’ Mushfiq told reporters when asked if he was satisfied with the squad.
‘A lot of times I have to lead the team that is provided to me. Selectors complete 15 members and just take my consent.’
‘I was and still am unhappy because it would have been better if they had consulted me [before selecting the Asia Cup squad].’
‘I was shocked and did not know till the last moment about who was included and who was excluded,’ he said, ‘I think the captain should be given the proper respect, whomever comes in future.’
Among other changes, selectors dropped off-spinner Mahmudullah and replaced him with all-rounder Ziaur Rahman in the Asia Cup squad.
While Mahmudullah’s omission was unsurprising given his performance in the one-day series that yielded just six runs for him in three matches, it was expected that selectors would prefer all-rounder Farhad Reza in his place.
Reza is a part of Bangladesh’s ICC World Twenty20 squad, so it was quite natural for him to get some exposure during the Asia Cup.
However, selectors instead preferred Ziaur Rahman, who was nowhere in the scene.
This has become first serious selection debate since former national captain Faruk began his second term as national chief selector last year.
Faruk was given the job ahead of Minhajul Abedin, who was also in the race to fill the post.
Mushfiq added that this was the first instance of this sort of treatment since his appointment by the Bangladesh Cricket Board after the disastrous tour of Zimbabwe in 2011.
‘It did not happen before and everything was going all right apart from the team that was selected in the Asia Cup,’ said Mushfiq.
‘Whether he takes my opinion is different thing but I was expecting a call and that’s why I am shocked,’ he added.
Mushfiq, who was a product of the previous Faruk Ahmed-led selection
panel, asked the chief selector to be more communicative, as he believes things have changed since his last stint.
‘He has come here after a long time, while our team has a different mindset. There is chance of miscommunication. The more we talk and work it will help to grow the bonds,’ said Mushfiq.
‘Definitely there is crisis and every team goes through crisis moments.’
‘If you make too many changes in the team, players start to think of individual performance and you cannot perform as a team.’
‘Of course performance should be counted first, but no matter whether he is a senior player or junior he should have some comfort zone before playing for any team.’
‘I feel that there were some players who deserved some more chances.’
Mushfiq added that the Tigers were just hoping to regain their form in the upcoming Asia Cup rather than going after the trophy even though they were the runners-up in the last edition.
Sri Lanka toyed with Bangladesh to earn a clean sweep in the three-match ODI series to shatter the home side’s confidence.
‘Considering the reality, with this kind of performance it is difficult to play in the final or win it,’ said Mushfiq.
‘We will try to prove that we are the fighting unit that was developed in the last two years,’ he added.
-With New Age input
