Bulbul speaks of quick T20 innings but much left unanswered

Aminul Islam Bulbul arrived at the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) premises to slogans from the crowd that gathered to welcome the newly-appointed BCB director.

Bulbul joined the emergency board of directors meeting as by then, the National Sports Council (NSC) had already sent a directive confirming his appointment as BCB director. And when he came to the press conference following the meeting, he took his seat as the 16th BCB president, replacing Faruque Ahmed who had been serving since August 21 last year.

"As a former player of the Bangladesh cricket team, I didn't retire — I was sidelined. After that, it's been 19 years that I've been working in cricket development with the ICC and ACC. But this is a new high for me — an opportunity, I would say.

"I got a call last April from our National Sports Council. They asked, "If we give you an opportunity, will you accept it?" I used to speak often about waiting for that call — and finally, I got it. My only goal from that moment was to honour that call with respect," Bulbul said in his introduction in his first press conference as BCB president on Friday.

He also congratulated the newly-appointed senior vice-president Nazmul Abedeen Fahim and vice-president Fahim Sinha.

Just like his predecessor Faruque, Bulbul too wanted to work as a unit with those directors that elected him as president. The very same directors had on August 21 voted for Faruque but eight of the nine directors later expressed no confidence in him in a letter to NSC on Thursday.

The obvious question was how he will work with the directors who played a role in Faruque's removal and were a part of the much-criticised board led by Nazmul Hassan Papon previously.

"I just began today and time will tell what will happen. A nation or a team will progress when everyone works together. A bowler does not bowl alone. He needs fielders and a wicketkeeper. So, we will play different roles from time to time to establish that," he said.

As a person whose life revolves around cricket, he said increasing focus on cricket development, decentralisation, and bringing cricketers from divisions to mainstream cricket were his targets.

Bulbul's appointment has come under unprecedented circumstances. He even told this newspaper recently that he had arrived for a short time. Overseeing elections were thought to be one of his targets.

But perhaps the most important thing he said today was he is not staying here for just three months.

"I was elected today as the Bangladesh Cricket Board president but not for three months. As you know, I was working with ICC and I'm very grateful that in that journey I have learned a lot about management. They willingly said that 'You should go work for your country'. So, I wasn't given two or three months from ICC, it's based on my need that I will work here and obviously there is no time-frame here," he added.

Eight directors had sent a letter of no-confidence stating Faruque had not been able to undertake the reforms he was appointed for. Asked if he knew what reforms he will undertake, he said: "I've said this before, as I start today, I will have to know more. But I have come with a frame of mind that I would work for cricket. I can say once I know better."

But in all certainty, there may not be much time left before BCB elections. Asked what he can do in this time frame, he said: "I have come to play a quick T20 innings. So I will play a good T20 innings that you will remember. I'll try to [make sure that] cricket can be played by everyone, so that it will be everybody's game. So that it becomes a statement that cricket is for everybody. I want to start this work."