Gazi Ashraf upbeat about getting free hand in selection
Wednesday, 14 February 2024
Gazi Ashraf Hossain, new Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) Chief Selector, said on Tuesday that he is confident of getting a free hand as the selection panel head. He also added that if his freedom is curbed, then he might have to think otherwise, reports Cricbuzz.
BCB on February 12 made whole sale changes to the selection panel by replacing long-term chief selector Minhajul Abedin with Hossain, while Minhajul's long time selection panel member Habibul Bashar made way for age-group selector Hannan Sarkar. Only Abdur Razzak managed to retain his post in the selection committee.
The current development understandably raises the question whether Hossain, the first ODI captain of Bangladesh, can select the team with freedom.
"There will be freedom (as the head of national selection panel), it was discussed with me," Hossain told reporters during his first interaction with the media at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in the city on Tuesday.
"I don't want to talk about the previous process. Since it is about team selection, obviously captain and coach will be involved. The system that is in international cricket, is the system we would like to keep things within that frame," he said.
"I believe that without freedom there is no enjoyment in working. The path is always open to come and also to leave," he said.
Hossain added that he does not want to sit with Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha, who is known to be a dominating person in the selection table, with any preconceived notion.
"The ball is not yet delivered, so let the ball come and let me play the ball first," he said when his attention was drawn regarding the strategy he will take while handling Hathurusingha at the selection panel table.
"I haven't met the coach and when we will meet, certainly we will exchange our views like I will know his philosophy while he will also know what philosophy I am carrying because both of us, in fact the whole team, have one goal and that is to make sure that Bangladesh cricket team perform and get results," he said.