The return of Mahmudullah: A nod to experience or anything else?

The Dhaka Premier League, Bangladesh’s customary List A competition, game was taking place on a sunny afternoon. Mohammad Ashraful, a batter who is no longer in the national team, was questioned by a reporter if he felt pressure to score a lot of runs at home to get his spot back. Ashraful affirmed that he felt no pressure in his response and grinned widely.”I don’t think so because I have faced comparable challenges in the past and always recovered. Regardless of who was chosen to fill my position, they didn’t do anything noteworthy that gave me the creeps. Ashraful, who quickly made a comeback, stated that it was only a matter of time before the selectors once again included me in the national squad. Although Bangladesh cricket has changed over time, a recurring trend can be seen when there is a demand for seasoned players after losing confidence in the younger generation that is supposed to hold senior positions. Mahmudullah selection for the national squad for the home series against New Zealand emphasises this pattern even further. The major concern right now is how Bangladesh’s ODI captain Shakib al Hasan, head coach Chandika Hathurusingha, and the national selection committee would handle the growing pressure from the Bangladesh Cricket Board as the World Cup draws near.

The management of the team experimented with three players in the number six position since Mahmudullah’s final match against England on March 6, 2023: Mushfiqur Rahim, Towhid Hridoy, and Shakib al Hasan. Rahim distinguished out because he scored 433 runs in 10 games (nine innings), averaging 61.85 and hitting 99.54, including one century and three fifty-scores. Shakib scored 32 runs in his lone at-bat at number six, and Hridoy contributed 136 runs over the course of three games (two innings), including two fifty-scores.

Considering that Mahmudullah spent the majority of his career playing at the number six position, these statistics imply that the club management may have identified a viable successor.

There were rumours that Mahmudullah needed to move up to number seven because of Mushfiqur’s success. After the unreliable performances of the players who were tested at number seven after his removal, this opinion became stronger.

Afif Hossain and Shamim Hossain were both notably dropped owing to subpar performances, even though numerous players were rested against New Zealand.

The underwhelming performances of these two cricketers are a major factor in Mahmudullah’s admission. It would be difficult to bar him from the World Cup if he can take this chance against New Zealand.

Cricket in Bangladesh has always undergone these regular modifications. With the World Cup approaching, it appears like history may be about to repeat itself, thus jeopardising the process of creating a team for the international competition.

Mahmudullah might still play in the World Cup, according to BCB president Nazmul Hasan, during a series against Ireland that was played in England. This didn’t come as a major surprise given the background of crowd chants backing Mahmudullah’s selection. Nazmul gave a favourable response when a reporter asked him a question, winning the public over at least for his experience as a politician.

Despite the BCB chief’s comments, questions over Mahmudullah’s future were regularly directed towards the selection panel members. Mahmudullah became a trending topic on social media. His inclusion started to resemble a popular desire.

The selection panel member grumbled, “I don’t want to receive calls from journalists all the time asking about Mahmudullah’s status in our plans,” highlighting the increasing pressure. His selection for the New Zealand ODIs was ultimately the result of this pressure.

According to information obtained by Cricbuzz, recent board meetings included a discussion over how to balance youth and experience, with some board members supporting older players like Mahmudullah.

After being left out of the Asia Cup, Mahmudullah’s international career appeared to be at a standstill. However, when Nazmul brought up Mahmudullah’s likely inclusion in World Cup plans despite his absence from ODIs since March, the conversation was re-ignited.

Mahmudullah was a member of the eight-person backup squad that head coach Chandika Hathurusingha assembled for the World Cup. However, its veracity has been contested, particularly in light of the Asia Cup’s surprising inclusion of players like Anamul Haque.

Aside from performance metrics, even fielding standards are now a topic of discussion at the selection table. In an exclusive interview, Nazmul himself earlier warned that older players might suffer under Hathurusingha if they didn’t perform up to expectations.

Nazmul is now, however, changing his mind and backing seniors for the New Zealand series. Their place in the World Cup appears plausible if they perform well. However, the question of whether this choice is fair in comparison to people who previously held those positions is still open, reflecting earlier conundrums. If the BCB is prepared to usher in a new age and take risky actions, only time will tell.