BCB yet to take any decision on Domingo’s future

DHAKA — The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is yet to take any decision on the future of head coach Russell Domingo, who was criticized heavily after Tigers’ calamitous performance in the Twenty20 World Cup.

The stage to terminate Domingo’s contract is believed to be set once the BCB appointed Khaled Mahmud Sujon as the technical director of the team, making him literally the boss of Domingo.

Domingo was appointed as Bangladesh head coach in August 2019 on a two-year contract. The BCB extended his tenure for two years more before the World Cup.

However, after the collapse of the team in the World Cup, the role of the coach became questionable with several directors and former players publicly criticizing him. The BCB has formed a special committee comprising board directors Jalal Yunus and Enayet Hossain Siraj to look into the cause of the World Cup failure.

"Just before the start of the World Cup, Russell Domingo wrote to us that he had received a very good offer. He wants to leave. He wanted to know if we would extend his tenure or not, if he did not get the extension then he would not be at risk. We did a lot of searching then. Later we realized we wouldn’t get any coach during this period. Secondly, we were in a dilemma whether to bring a new coach just before the World Cup. Most of the coaches I saw were booked until the next World Cup,” BCB president Nazmul Hassan Papon said here today.

'With all that in mind, the board has decided to give him an extension. Now, what are you thinking about him? If you ask him at this moment, he has the same thoughts as before. We are waiting for the report of the World Cup.

According to Papon, the questions about the coach came after the World Cup performance, so they are waiting for the investigation report before any decision is made.

The BCB president said they had not received any complaints from Jalal Yunus and Enayet Hossain Siraj, the two members of the inquiry committee, about the coaches.

“But the reality is that nothing was found during their inquiry. This did not surprise me. I knew it would happen. If there is a problem, it will not come out so easily. And if the players don't say there is no problem with the coach then what will you do? Do you have anything to do? “ Papon questioned.

However, this investigation is not the last word. The BCB chief will talk to each player separately.

“This investigation is not enough. I think I should investigate myself. No one understands the thinking of some of the senior players better than me. I think we need to talk one-on-one…with some junior, some senior players. I will talk to those who are not going to New Zealand. I want to sit with Mahmudullah immediately after the day they give their report,” he concluded.BSS