BCB, Rhodes cut ties as revamp begins

In their first attempt to revamp the backroom staff following the ICC Cricket World Cup in England, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) have cut ties with head coach Steve Rhodes. BCB CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury informed yesterday that they reached a mutual understanding with Rhodes and that his tenure with the team would be terminated with immediate effect.

"You know after any big events every board assesses the performance of their coaching staffs and we also met to discuss the issue soon after the completion of our team's last group match against Pakistan at Lord's. You know its vice-a-versa as Steve Rhodes has to have the desire to continue the job and the board has to want to keep him. Finally, we came to a mutual understanding," said Nizamuddin.

On June 7 last year the BCB appointed Rhodes as head coach after the post remained vacant for seven months following the resignation of Chandika Hathurusingha in October 2017. It was then revealed by the BCB that Rhode's contract would see him take charge of the Tigers until after the 2020 T20 World Cup in Australia.

"It was in the agreement that we would assess everything after the ongoing World Cup," added Nizamuddin.

He also informed that they would set up the next course of action in regards to the appointment of a new head coach at the next board meeting.

"The ICC meeting will be take place from July 15 to 19 and after that a board meeting will take place where we discuss everything at length. But what I can say that internally we have started it. Right at this moment we didn't decide about who will look after the team for the three-match ODI series in Sri Lanka and it will also be decided in the board meeting," he explained.

Although Nizamuddin said that Rhodes was relieved of his duties under a mutual understanding, the board was apparently not happy with the way he handled the team during the World Cup. Rumours swirled during the quadrennial mega event that the players felt that they lacked a good planner at the helm.

In addition, the board will also likely search for a bowling coach and fielding consultant as bowling coach Courtney Walsh's four-year contract and fielding consultant Ryan Cook's contract expires at the end of the World Cup and, according to sources, the board is not interested in renewing their contracts. However, it is likely that batting consultant Neil McKenzie and spin-bowling coach Sunil Joshi will continue in their roles.

The board however did not clear the air about whether Mashrafe bin Mortaza will continue as a ODI captain as they want to Mashrafe to make his own decision.