The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has officially removed Mohammad Ashraful from his position as the batting coach of the national cricket team. The decision, communicated to Ashraful at Mirpur on Saturday afternoon following a practice session, follows a period of inconsistent performances by the team’s batting unit in international away matches.
Ashraful, who had been serving in the role since November 2025, expressed a calm acceptance of the development. In a brief response, he stated that he is no longer with the national side and is currently looking forward to his next professional assignment. The board has acknowledged his contributions during his tenure and indicated plans to redeploy him to another role within the organization, though the specific nature of that position has not yet been finalized.
The criticism surrounding the batting unit stems primarily from recent failures in ODI cricket. During the tri-nation series in Abu Dhabi, Bangladesh struggled significantly, failing to complete their full 50-over quota in either match. The team was bundled out for 172 runs against Zimbabwe—resulting in a 99-run defeat—and later posted only 160 runs against Afghanistan. These performances, which saw the team exit the series early, contributed to a record of five losses in their last six ODI matches.
The struggles extended to the Asian Games, where Bangladesh finished without a medal. In the semifinal against Pakistan, the team managed only 111 runs in 13 overs, losing four wickets within the first six overs for just 45 runs. Subsequently, in the bronze medal match, they were bowled out for 102 runs while chasing Sri Lanka’s 165, marking a 63-run loss.
Despite these recent setbacks, Ashraful’s tenure was not without successes, particularly in the Test format. Under his guidance, Bangladesh achieved a 63 percent win rate in Test cricket, winning five out of eight matches. Notably, this period included a historic Test series draw against Australia, where the team rebounded from a 54-run collapse in a practice match to score 426 runs in the first innings of the subsequent Test, led by Tanjid Hasan’s maiden century. Furthermore, the team secured a home series win against Pakistan in March and the nation’s first-ever ODI series victory against Australia in June.
For the immediate future, Mohammad Salahuddin, the head coach of the BCB’s High Performance unit, has been appointed as the acting batting coach. He will oversee the batting department until a permanent successor is hired. The BCB is reportedly already in discussions with several international candidates to fill the role permanently. Salahuddin’s first test in this interim capacity will be the upcoming two-Test series against the West Indies, scheduled to begin on October 28 in Mirpur.
As the team looks toward the next ODI World Cup, the focus remains on whether these coaching changes can rectify the recurring issues in the batting lineup. While acting captain Towhid Hridoy has attributed the team’s poor away form to a lack of mental fortitude, the board is clearly banking on fresh leadership to stabilize the squad’s performance on the international stage.
