Domingo wants Riyad to lead in T20 WC

Ekush Tapader

Bangladesh are currently going through a leadership vacuum in all three formats of the game. With the ban handed to Test and T20 skipper Shakib Al Hasan on October 29th this year, the management had to announce two new captains in Mominul Haque and Mahmudullah Riyad for Tests and T20Is respectively just a day prior to the team’s departure for the India tour. While the ODI captaincy position had been set in stone since 2014, with Mashrafe Bin Mortaza now ambling towards the end of his career, that position is also uncertain. With no ODIs scheduled until May next year, the ODI captain said on Wednesday that ‘he doesn’t know much about the national team at the moment’.

Well there are quite a few new faces already. [Aminul Islam] Biplob is there and [Mohammad] Naim has come in. There are quite a lot of young players coming into the side. Afif [Hossain] is a young player. Look, it [T20 World Cup] is only eight to 10 months away and we have to ensure that we give those players the opportunity to play as many games as possible. Russell Domingo Bangladesh head coach

Mahmudullah did a commendable job in India after being thrust into the hot seat, showing good leadership skills at a difficult period following Shakib’s ban, losing the T20 series 2-1, but not without a fight.
The Test series would end in disarray as Bangladesh lost both Tests by an innings, each inside three days under first-time captain Mominul. While speaking to The Daily Star yesterday, Bangladesh coach Russell Domingo spoke about plans going forward in terms of leadership.
Domingo reiterated that Mashrafe did not have much involvement with the side due to the lack of ODIs but for him, Mahmudullah and Mominul were the ones who should guide the side.

“He [Mashrafe] is the ODI captain. There is not much ODI cricket in the next few months, and he is not playing other formats, so it is understandable that he is not aware of the current situation,” the coach replied when asked about the ODI captaincy going forward.

He confirmed that he had submitted his long-term plan to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and believed that Mahmudullah should be the one to lead in the T20 World Cup in Australia in October next year. The BCB is yet to confirm if Mahmudullah would continue his role in the shortest format, after his stint in India.

“Mahmudullah did his job very well in India; his captaincy is very good. The T20 World cup is only eight or nine months away, it’s not the time to give the captaincy to someone who hasn’t done it before. I need to talk to the board first before the final decision is made but I will be very surprised if Mahmudullah doesn’t captain at the World Cup,” he said of Mahmudullah, who has led Chattogram Challengers to the top of the ongoing BBPL with four wins in five matches so far.
Questions remain on Mominul’s ability to inspire the side. Domingo stated that Mominul would need time. “Mominul is a fantastic player. To judge him on two Test matches against the best team in the world is very unfair. I have got a lot of faith and belief in the way he goes about things and I think he can be a great leader going forward.”
Domingo had reiterated during the India tour that he was ready to restructure the side with new faces. The likes of Afif Hossain, Aminul Islam and Mohammad Naim have shown promise in the shortest format and Domingo was keen to give these players more time ahead of the T20 World Cup.
“It is only eight to 10 months away and we have to ensure that we give those players the opportunity to play as many games as possible.”