‘What would I gain from favouritism?’ – Salahuddin on criticism

Batting collapses are frequent in Bangladesh national team and the tendency has continued even under senior assistant coach Mohammad Salahuddin, who took charge of the team during the West Indies series last year.

Recent collapses has not only brought criticism but also saw allegations of favouritism against the senior assistant coach. While addressing the media today in Colombo ahead of the third and final T20I on Wednesday, Salahuddin was firm on his response regarding the allegations.

BCB chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu had informed the media recently that Bangladesh Cricket Board were on the lookout for a batting coach. In today's media conference, Salahuddin was asked whether there would be a clash of roles with new coach since he is overlooking the batting side of things at the moment.

"I am a coach. If tomorrow, you ask me to go coach the U-13s, I won't mind. There is no such tag attached that I am only the national team's coach. I don't have an ego issue and I am not concerned. If someone arrives, if it's good for the team… look, this Bangladesh team is not my ancestral property, right? It's normal that criticism takes place when performances are not good and also when team does well everyone congratulates. What's important is whether I am giving my hundred percent and working with honesty," Salahuddin said.

He then brought notice towards the allegations that he was favouring certain players in the team.

"If after working for 27-28 years as coach, someone says that there are many complaints within the team, it would have been better if you wrote what the complaints were. You are just saying it in public…but you have to give evidence. Right? If you give evidence, it would have been better for that coach too, so that if he is making mistakes he could rectify it. I may not be a good coach and the board might even remove me, no problem with that. But if you don't justify something and write about that, it's not right.

"Do you know if the person is working honestly or not? You should write after you know that. Maybe I am mentally strong but someone weaker may fall," he said.

Salahuddin, the most decorated local coach in Bangladesh's cricket, also pointed out that he did not apply for a job in BCB, in the process asking how he could be involved in favouritism when the team itself is not playing well.

"It's not like I have to do this job, there are other things I could be doing. I did not come here by my own interest or ask for a job. If for the team's sake, even a little bit of change can be brought, I would try to bring that change. There is no luxury here. The team is regularly losing so what would I gain from favouritism in this kind of scenario? It's not like the team is winning every day and I would play one [that I am biased towards].

We are not even playing well and as a member of the team, I would want the team playing well. So you should understand what and how to write about somebody," Salahuddin concluded.