Coaching structure to be changed?

Although the big news surrounding Bangladesh cricket yesterday was the reappointment of Shakib Al Hasan as Test captain, Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hassan hinted while talking of the captaincy that there will be other changes too. And from Hassan's words and information from sources close to the action, the changes being spoken of could well be in the coaching structure, with former South African opener and India's 2011 World Cup winning coach Gary Kirsten now well into the mix, but apparently not just as a head coach.

It was also learnt that Bangladesh's upcoming series against Sri Lanka January, for which the national camp will start on December 27, will be played without a new coach and that BCB director and former captain Khaled Mahmud is likely to act as team director during the series.

"The surprising thing is, we got two more CVs today [Sunday]," said Hassan after the BCB meeting yesterday. "But other than that we have shortlisted the candidates, and after the meeting the list has become shorter, with two new names appearing today. Other than that, there is someone else with whom almost everything has been finalised other than his remuneration and joining date. We have to wait a bit for that."

Sources informed that the two new names could be South Africa's Neil Mckenzie and Sri Lanka's Hashan Tillakaratne. Hassan spoke of former Tigers coach Richard Pybus, who gave his presentation last week and former West Indies cricketer Phil Simmons, who presented yesterday. Kirsten's name was also in the mix but it was learned that while the board is very eager for him not just to be a head coach  but  perform a bigger role directing the country's cricket, there is not a lot of chance of the South African accepting the role.

Less murky is the appointment of a new coach before the Sri Lanka series in January; Hassan said that there is no need for a head coach and that someone from within the board will likely be appointed to oversee matters.