Sriram’s return still on horizon?

Is Sridharan Sriram, the technical consultant of the Bangladesh national team during the T20 World Cup in Australia last year, slated for a return to the national setup? And if he does, then in what form?

Although technical consultant was the role thrown around in his last stint, the former India all-rounder had been in charge as a head coach during the Asia Cup in the UAE and the World Cup in Australia. After Chandika Hathurusingha was named as the head coach in all three formats, the question now being pondered is whether Sriram's return is still plausible.

Khaled Mahmud Sujon, former team director of Bangladesh and head coach of Bangladesh Premier League's (BPL) Khulna Tigers, suggested the door has not been closed yet.

"I'm not sure, but as far as I know he [Sriram] still has a chance [of returning]. I am a bit detached from that due to BPL. I had a talk with him before and maybe there are some demands and we want him to come. How much time can he give and in what capacity, that is important," Mahmud said yesterday. 

Whether the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had approached Sriram with a specific role remains unclear. And even as he had met with BCB high-ups during the ongoing BPL in Dhaka, they have not agreed terms.

Although Sriram had been in charge of the T20 side of things last year, whether he is willing to come as a technical consultant still remains to be seen. Will his return create a stir with Hathurusingha?

"Obviously every coach has a different philosophy. From that regard… I feel that Sri and Hathurusingha are mirror images of each other. I have worked with both and held discussions and yes, obviously, there is the matter of philosophy but both are attacking minded and positive as coaches. Hathurunsingha will be given time to build the side since he has been handed the head coach role. I don't think it will be very difficult [for them to work together]," Mahmud opined.

The matter of local coaches being appointed in assistant coaching roles was also brought during Mahmud's brief to the press.

"I had a good relationship with Hathurusingha from before. I have already talked to him over the phone and there was a brief discussion on the matter. He is very positive and he wanted a big team management unit with local coaching staff included so that when the team goes out of the country, the other players get to practice. We want to have some assistant coaches who are working with the team all day," said the former team director.

There had been criticisms regarding Hathurusingha being a difficult taskmaster but Mahmud, who had been team manager during the Lankan's previous stint, had a different opinion.

"I don't think he's that strict. One thing about him that I really like is his straightforwardness. There are senior stars like Shakib [Al Hasan] and Tamim [Iqbal] who are very important but Hathurusingha does not create that definition in the side where young players won't be respected. He has always shown that respect to everyone. Back then he was younger but he is more mature now," Mahmud concluded.

Asked whether he himself will return to the team director role for the upcoming England series, he said: "Not sure. It's BCB's call. It's not a permanent job and I fill that role when the [BCB] president asks me."

Meanwhile, the BCB president Nazmul Hasan Papon has informed the media yesterday that the board is "looking for a foreign coach in the assistant role, and Sriram's name is still on the shortlist."