Last month, Salahuddin, one of the country’s most renowned coaches, took on the role of Senior Assistant Coach for the national cricket team. His journey with the Tigers began with the ongoing West Indies tour, where he is focusing on extracting the best performances from the players. Since arriving in the Caribbean, he has been actively working with the team. In the nets, he spends extended periods supervising the players’ batting, carefully observing their techniques. Whenever he spots an issue or a shortfall, he steps in to guide them, often demonstrating himself. From a distance, it might seem like he is teaching the players the basics of cricket all over again. However, that is not the case. Salahuddin adapts his methods to ensure the players grasp his instructions with ease.
In a video message shared by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), Salahuddin spoke about his approach:
“As a coach, my responsibility is to bring out the best from the players I work with and ensure they enjoy the process. I need to proceed accordingly. Since I’ve known these boys (the national team players) for a long time and share a good rapport with them, I’m able to make progress faster. It’s not much else. However, the ultimate decisions—good or bad—should come from the players themselves. I always tell them that we, as coaches, will give a lot of advice and suggestions, but they should only take what they feel works best for them. That’s how they’ll grow into mature cricketers.”
Apart from working with the specialist batters, Salahuddin is also focusing on the lower-order batsmen during the West Indies tour. He believes that even a small contribution from the lower order can make a significant difference to the team’s performance. Speaking about this, he said:
“In the stage we are in now, there are several areas for improvement. In Tests, ODIs, or T20s, we generally get very few runs from the lower-order batsmen. If we can extract even 20 or 30 extra runs from them, it will benefit the team and enhance our finishing. When the batters perform well, the team is in a strong position, but often, the finishing isn’t up to the mark. If these lower-order batters can add 20 more runs to the scoreboard—if each player contributes 10-20 runs and gains confidence while improving their batting technique—the team will benefit.”
He also emphasized the importance of prioritizing team needs over personal achievements, reminding the players:
“Whatever you do on the field, it should be focused on what the team needs. Players should always aim to meet the demands and requirements of the team.”
