‘If the people besides you are actually happy then your team goes forward’

While there were celebrations all over the national dressing room following Bangladesh’s historic Test series win over Pakistan at Sylhet, one man was preparing to leave for good.

It was the last international assignment for Bangladesh’s senior assistant coach Mohammad Salahuddin with the Tigers as he will be joining the High Performance Unit of Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) following the series.

Tigers’ head coach Phil Simmons did not shy away from expressing his gratitude to Salahuddin, who remained with him more or less like a shadow since joining the national set-up in November 2024.

“November 24 I heard on the news that I was having a new assistant, a new lead assistant so I didn’t know what to expect but from the West Indies to now, I have come to appreciate how much you bring to this dressing room, how much you bring to the cricket and your value in the dressing room,” Simmons was quoted in a video uploaded in BCB’s official Facebook page following the second Test on Wednesday.

“I know there’s a lot you do in the background that we as coaches don’t know about, and the biggest thing is that it’s much more appreciated from us, how much you’ve done in this dressing room, for me especially as head coach, what you’ve brought, I totally appreciate it,” he stated.

“I believe that where you are going now is so much more beneficial to Bangladesh cricket and I hope the people upstairs will appreciate what you can give for this team from down there, on behalf of all the coaches and I think all the team and the other two teams too, thank you very much for everything you give me,” he added.

Salahuddin told his charges that they can only take the team forward if they stick beside one another through thick and thin.

“Actually I’ve learnt a lot of things and I want to take a lot of good things from here. I learn a lot of things from the coaches and from the players. This team is actually growing faster because I feel that you guys are now thinking about how you go moving forward and you love each other,” said Salahuddin.

“Sometimes I saw that you are besides your teammate who is not scoring and you feel sorrow (for him) and that’s the way team goes forward,” he noted.

“The Test team or T20 team or one-day team, you can just see your dressing room, if the people are actually happy besides you then your team goes forward, it’s simple, thank you guys,” he explained.

Salahuddin requested for forgiveness if he had hurt anyone because he insisted that whatever he did was for the betterment of the cricketers.

“I also did a lot of mistakes, I talk a lot of harsh things, negative things, but from my heart I always feel that I want good for you, because I am a teacher, I am not your friend, so if you do something wrong I have to tell you, if I don’t tell you it would be my mistake, I don’t want bad things for you, so if I did anything wrong, please forgive me, I’m always with you guys,” he concluded.