From T20 to 50-over: Bulbul’s ambiguity continues

From claiming he was here to play a "T20 innings" as Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president to announcing his intent to contest in the upcoming board elections yesterday, Aminul Islam Bulbul has remained consistent in one regard -- the ambiguity that often characterises the leadership positions in any line of work in the country.

Bulbul replaced Faruque Ahmed as the 17th BCB president on May 30 this year, gaining the position through the National Sports Council's (NSC) approval.

"I have come to play a quick T20 innings. So I will play a good T20 innings that you will remember," Bulbul had said during his first interaction with the media as board president.

However, the former national skipper now insists his "quick T20 innings" is still not over.

"The quick T20 innings is not over yet. Let that be over first, and if I need to continue, I shall go from playing T20 to 50-over (ODI) cricket," Bulbul told reporters at the Sylhet District Stadium on Tuesday, following a meeting with district and divisional coaches.

Despite expressing his eagerness to possibly stretch his "T20 innings" into a longer one-day style knock, Bulbul remains unsure about his next step.

"I have not had any discussions with the NSC yet. I just expressed that I will contest the [BCB] election if possible. Right now, I don't know from where [which constituency] I will contest or how I will do it.

"My only reason is that the work I had started is progressing well, and I feel that instead of leaving it half done, I should carry it forward to completion. That is one of the main reasons for wanting to continue," he added.

Following his announcement, it appears unlikely that Bulbul will continue as an NSC-nominated director. Instead, he is expected to directly contest the upcoming BCB elections, scheduled for the first week of October. If successful, this would secure him a four-year term as a BCB director and potentially another term as president -- provided he chooses to run for the top post after being elected to the board.

Bringing about drastic change in just three months -- the time Bulbul has had as BCB president -- is not realistic in any line of work. The same is true for Bulbul, but his accomplishments in these months have not offered much inspiration either.

Other than touring different parts of the country -- including Rajshahi, Barishal, Chattogram, Fatullah, Sylhet, and Khulna -- to assess cricket at the divisional level, and directly intervening to address the low and slow pitches at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur, Bulbul has little to show for the work he insists should not be left "half done."

Since the ouster of the Awami League government on August 5 last year, there has been talk of reforming the BCB constitution ahead of the elections, along with renewed calls to tackle one of the game's long-standing challenges in Bangladesh -- decentralisation of cricket. However, the constitution reform committee, formed by Bulbul's predecessor Faruque Ahmed and led by BCB director Nazmul Abedeen Fahim, has remained inactive for months. Bulbul himself has not spoken in detail about either issue since assuming office.

With just a month left before the BCB polls, the scenario remains unchanged: those aiming to continue in the organisation responsible for the country's cricket development remain wrapped in the same ambiguity that has lingered for years. It also raises the question: Will the BCB boss eventually pad up for an even longer innings, transitioning from 50-over-style to a Test-like knock?

But so far, the scoreboard tells its own story: plenty of dot balls, not enough boundaries.