Onus on BCB to establish the clarity of its vision

A sort of contradictory scenario currently prevails in Bangladesh cricket. Interested cricketers, once considered as potential mainstays of a format, are being ignored from their preferred format while the ones who are reluctant to play are given the opposite treatment.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is not new to operating in such chaotic fashion, caused by their own apparent lack of vision. However, the existing modus operandi could not only hamper country's cricket but also drive a wedge between the players and the board itself.

The latest perplexing scenario has seen Bangladesh pacer Abu Jayed being shrugged off from the squad for the first Test against Sri Lanka next month. Once hailed as the main seamer for the Tigers in Tests, especially in away tours for his ability to exploit the overseas conditions, Jayed has been dropped 'without explanation' after being dragged only to warm the bench in New Zealand and South Africa tours, earlier this year.

Even the pacer wondered why someone like Shohidul Islam, yet to get his international cap, got the nod instead for a series in which Bangladesh are missing a few of their key frontline quicks due to injury.

While Jayed is left wondering what he had done wrong, Mustafizur Rahman is probably scratching his head over trying to find a way out of the precarious situation the board president Nazmul Hassan has threatened to put him in.

WHILE THE FORMER COULD BE CONSIDERED FOR TESTS DESPITE HIS APPARENT LACK OF INTEREST REGARDING THE FORMAT, JAYED MIGHT HAVE TO WAIT A LONG TIME BEFORE BEING REINSTATED IN THE FORMAT. PHOTO: IPL/STAR FILE

After years of speculation surrounding Mustafizur's apparent reluctance to play Tests, the 26-year-old finally made his intentions clear to the board earlier. The left-arm pacer did not want to be included in the Test set up and understandably, BCB had kept him out of its central contract for the red-ball format. 

Things, however, could get a bit tricky to fathom when trying to find logic behind the following statement of Hassan: "Mustafizur will have to play Sri Lanka Tests if BCB needs him." It is the 'have to play' part that creates confusion.

BCB did say that it formed the current central contract for all three formats only after seeking the players' plans and preferences regarding their choice of formats. Also, did BCB president Hassan not say over and over again to the media that 'if a player doesn't want to play any format or a series, he would be allowed to do so given the player informs the board of his intentions beforehand'? 

Mustafizur, as it seems, had followed the protocol to a tee and yet, finds himself in more than a spot of bother now. 

What Mustafizur wants is something of a necessity for players around the globe currently. With the rising intensity of tours and series and the uprise of franchise cricket around the globe, it is only understandable that players would reserve themselves for certain formats or even series in order to maximise career's output.

That's how it has been for top teams around the world with cricket boards even finding ways to not only proceed without their premier players but also excel in tournaments and tours at times.

Shakib Al Hasan had opted to skip several series before but his methods and penchant for ill-timings had sparked massive uproars. Even Tamim Iqbal has let his feelings known about the T20 format. But for some reason, the Bangladesh ODI skipper is still having to wait out the 'six-month break' from the format that he had asked for back in January before finally announcing what the world is already aware of. 

Maybe it is time for BCB to act on their words and actually give the players the freedom instead of just putting it on paper or saying it in front of the media. And by doing so, the current hectic international calendar could be managed while a player would be able to clear his mind, plan for a specific format and excel in the manner resembling Mustafizur in IPL currently.