Champions Trophy test for Bangladesh’s revival

That Bangladesh are a team in transition will soon be on full display during the Champions Trophy 2025.

The absence of Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal, two of the team’s greatest cricketers, has wiped a lot of experience away from their ODI depth. But can the coaching duo of Phil Simmons and Mohammad Salahuddin add substance to a set-up lacking big names?

As much as it sounds hard to believe that Simmons and Salahuddin can replace Shakib and Tamim in any capacity, Bangladesh have always been a team dependent on coaching.

It has been the trend since their cricketing inception in the 1990s.

The lack of international exposure made coaches like Gordon Greenidge, Eddie Barlow and Dav Whatmore among the biggest influencers in Bangladesh cricket.

The combined experience and knowledge of Simmons and Salahuddin will be effective for this Bangladesh team in different ways.

Simmons is among the most experienced coaches in world cricket, having recently become only the fourth coach to be in charge of 400 international matches.

Salahuddin’s career highlights include the four BPL titles he won with the Comilla Victorians, but he is also recognised and celebrated in these parts as the country’s go-to coach for technical and tactical trouble-shooting.

Shakib is Salahuddin’s most famous student, having known each other from their days in the BKSP sports institute where Shakib was a student and Salahuddin a coach. 

In 2015, Shakib famously sought Salahuddin’s help with his bowling action so they did the consulting over a video call.

Shakib once called up Salahuddin to the IPL in 2019 and later credited this stint with him as the reason for his blockbuster performance at the ODI World Cup that year. Tamim, Mominul Haque, Soumya Sarkar and Jaker Ali are among those — from past and present — who have worked extensively with Salahuddin. The BCB appointed Simmons and Salahuddin late last year with a short contract until the Champions Trophy. The team had the home Tests against South Africa, the ODI series against Afghanistan and the full tour of West Indies under Simmons. — Cricinfo.