``There is no technique,'' says the manager. I say there is no perfection, no adaptability. Our boys know how to play cover drive, sweep, on drive, square cut, and so on. Proper execution of their ability is lacking. Mangers must know how to make a player do it.
The primary objectives of officials and coaches should be to motivate players to play the right shot at the right time, to bring in team spirit among the players, to make them feel that they are playing for their country, for the nation. Of course, officials have to be technically qualified to perform his responsibilities.
It is about time the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) gives importance to the present situation of Bangladesh cricket and helps raise the standard of cricket in the country. The Board should take necessary measures to overcome the frustration following a disastrous series. After every tour or home series the manager's report should be read out and discussed. The Board should conduct inquiries after each series, learn lessons from each series and take necessary action after each series. I learned from a mutual acquaintance that a manager of our national team said that his team had 'no spirit'. Who was to blame for that? Officials must work to develop morale of the players, of the team.
One must recognise that everybody is not capable of managing things everywhere. The best student may not become the best teacher. The best cricketer may not be the best coach or manager. If it was so, Gavaskar and Kapil Dev would have been appointed manager a long time ago.
India has produced many cricketers of international repute to organise and look after cricket in their country. Then why did India have to bring Bobby Simpson as advisor? I am certain Gavaskar or Kapil Dev, both of them, deserved Simpson's position more than anybody else in the world did, because both of them are world record holders. Neither reacted to the appointment of Bobby Simpson; probably both of them felt that they were not the best for the position at this time. Kapil Dev is happily involved in managing the ground and Gavaskar is content as an expert commentator.
BCB officials must find out how to keep up the spirit of the team, how to take one hundred per cent from the players. BCB must strive to build in the players the attitude to feel for the nation. BCB must provide the proper guidance to the players at the proper time.
Administration of the BCB is one thing and management of the national team is another. The former is organisation; the latter requires cricket knowledge. The BCB has confused the two and therefore is appointing a new tour manager for each tour. Often the post of tour manager has been regarded as a gift. A tour manager returns from a tour and is forgotten. The tour manager also forgets about cricket. One good example is Quayum Reza Chowdhury tour manager to the last ICC trophy, which we won. But, one has not heard of Mr Chowdhury for the past eighteen months.
BCB has to have a scheme - a continuous programme to create new players by organising cricket at different age groups, under-17, under-19, under-21. To build confidence to play at international level, age group teams should play international matches. We have to organise tournaments in Bangladesh on a regular basis and invite junior teams from India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. This will be of tremendous service to our cricket. This will help to mature our raw talent. Thereby our youngsters will be prepared to perform their best for the national team.
Threat from great players of the subcontinent or, for that matter, the world, who will presumably have played for the junior teams of India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will be greatly reduced. Our boys will have the necessary confidence.
As for the present national team, it would not be possible to cause a miracle overnight. BCB should concentrate on team spirit and motivate the players to perform their best. BCB must realise that irrelevant comment by team officials after or during a tour is harmful. Pre-match comment and/or prediction should be based on analyses. Officials should be more diplomatic. The manager's comment before the recent matches against Kenya and Northern Ireland was improper and uncalled for.
Managers should be involved in team training and selection. The captain of the national side, if capable of contributing, should also be involved in the selection process.
We are frustrated. We cannot live with frustration forever. As a former national cricketer I personally feel that if BCB is serious and takes necessary steps sincerely, the Board can overcome the existing frustrating situation.
The writer was captain BCB XI 1979, associate manager to the ICC trophy in England 1982, national team manager to India in 1983, National U-17 manager to England 1989 and chairman, national selection committee 1986-1990)