BCB looking for new head coach

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is looking for a new head coach after its 'mutual separation' with Steve Rhodes, reports UNB.

BCB Chief Executive Officer Nizam Uddin Chowdhury on Tuesday said they are searching for a new coach who will take charge of the national team for a longer period.

"We're not renewing agreements with Courtney Walsh and Thilan Chandramohan, who respectively were our pace-bowling coach and team physio," he told the media.

Chowdhury declined to disclose the reason behind the split with Steve, who was supposed to remain the head coach until World T20 2020, Australia.

"We don't want to disclose the reason as it is an internal issue. We had a long discussion with him and both parties agreed to end the agreement," Chowdhury said.

During Steve's 13-month stint, Tigers won three out of eight Tests, 17 out of 30 ODIs and three out of six T20Is.

"We're trying to find a new head coach before this series," Chowdhury said, adding that if it takes time, then the BCB might hire an interim coach.

"We'll play World T20 before the next World Cup. So, we are looking for a new coach keeping it in mind," Chowdhury told the media.

Khaled Mahmud, former national team captain and vice-chairman of Cricket Operation of BCB, is a leading candidate for the interim coach.

"I'm always available to take charge. I was appointed as an interim coach earlier. But this time around, I've to think about taking a short-term role," he told the media on Tuesday.

"I hope we'll find a new head coach before the next assignment."

Meanwhile,Bangladesh Cricket Board on Monday ended their contract with English coach Steve Rhodes who had been working as the head coach of Bangladesh national cricket team since 2018.

The development came right after Bangladesh's unexpected exit from the ICC Men's World Cup in England and Wales where the Tigers finished eighth on the points table.

Bangladesh's poor performance in the World Cup might have prompted the BCB to go for the action.

"After a long discussion, we've come to a mutual separation with Steve Rhodes.

So, we are not continuing with the agreement that we had with Steve as the head coach of Bangladesh national cricket team," Nizam Uddin Chowdury told the news agency.

He, however, did not confirm who will take the charge during Bangladesh's upcoming tour to Sri Lanka in the later part of July.

Rhodes, 55, was appointed as the head coach of Bangladesh on June 7, 2018.

He became the successor of Chandika Hathurusingha of Sri Lanka who resigned from his post after Bangladesh's dismal tour in South Africa in 2017.

As per the initial contract, Rhodes was supposed to continue as Bangladesh's head coach till T20 World Cup 2020, Australia. However, the contract now ended prematurely.