Bashar in two minds over chief selector role

Habibul Bashar Sumon, the frontrunner to replace Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu as the new chief of the national selection panel, said on Sunday that he is not sure whether he will apply after Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) decided to advertise for the selection panel post for the first time in its history.

Ashraf decided to step down following his two-year tenure and it was expected that Habibul would take over the role, like in the past when BCB appointed the members of the national selection panel.

However, BCB decided to advertise for two posts of national selection panel and asked interested candidates to send their CV by 8 March.

Bashar previously served in this role for eight years under chief selectors Faruque Ahmed and Minhajul Abedin Nannu. His tenure ended when the panel was restructured in February 2024. Bashar appears to be in two minds about sending his CV as he is also currently working for the BCB game development committee.

“I am not sure (whether I will send my CV or not),” Bashar told Daily Sun.

“I am currently working with BCB so in that case why do I have to apply is something I need to understand before taking a final call in this regard,” he added.

Nazmul Abedeen Fahim, BCB cricket operations committee chairman, told Daily Sun that they have decided to advertise for the post for the first time as it will help them to be fair as far as picking the selectors are concerned.

“The reason is that, apart from those we have in mind, there may be others who are qualified and deserve an opportunity. We want to judge whether they have the ability. That makes the whole process a bit fairer,” Fahim stated.

“Ultimately, we will take those whom we consider the most qualified. But here there will be more than one opportunity, and if someone can prove that, yes, I am also eligible, that is one aspect. Another thing is that we may take two people this time but we will also come to know who else is in our system and who is interested,” he noted.

“In the future, we will need more selectors. If we think regionally, or at age-group level, or for the women’s side, we will need more selectors,” he explained.

Fahim added that though former captains were seen as head of national selection panel in the near past, it does not necessarily mean that they will fill all the criterion to chair the selection panel this time.

“They (former national captains) will definitely be a preference (for head of selection panel) but considering everything together — whoever has that leadership quality, that experience, that knowledge — definitely he will be preferred,” said Fahim.

“But a captain usually has those qualities, which is why he becomes captain, so there will certainly be a preference. We have Shanto (Hasibul Hossain) and once Lipu leaves, there will be one (spot) remaining, and then two more will be added,” he added.

Recently, BCB extended Ashraf’s contract by one month in order to find out a suitable replacement after he wished to leave the post following the expiration of his deal on 28 February.